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Apple Settles In-App Purchase Lawsuit, Offers iTunes Credits and Refunds to Parents
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Another point worth noting with these kind of games, is the peer-presure and temptation element is something very real. Almost akin to those slot machines, where you put coins in hoping you'll push a load more over the edge, and hence win more money.
It's almost bordering on simple gambling. - Some of these apps are rated 4+ when in fact they should be 18+ because some of the gambling metaphors used within the game play. - I assume as a parent that an App rated 4+ is completely harmless, when in fact an app that confuses a minor over purchasing 'toy' money and 'real' money is a serious issue and anything but harmless.
iPads, iPhones and TVs have become baby sitters. Many dint want the responsibility of keeping an eye on their children.
You're right, I'm 30 and even though I had Nintendo and Sega, if I wanted to play. It was outside. Those were only for the evening. Imagination gets lost from a child when they have nothing more then video to play with.
Did you read the complaint that they filed? Me neither.
But my guess is that Apple was vulnerable, because the parents had good and convincing points. If not, it seems unlikely that Apple would have settled.
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Because Apple makes higher profits that way? Any time you wonder why Apple does anything, that is the answer, every time.
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Well, at least he didn't mention Quetzalcoatl or Odin. Now THAT would have been offensive!
this reminds me of that segment on The Daily Show about Tap Fish
edit: found link
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-december-8-2011/video-game-dealers
hilarious
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also it's not like iTunes credits costs them that much so this saves lots of money vs a lawsuit
edit: found link
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-december-8-2011/video-game-dealers
hilarious
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also it's not like iTunes credits costs them that much so this saves lots of money vs a lawsuit
Is't it true that anything and everything that Apple sells, including all the apps, all the music and all the movies that they sell carry a PG rating?
I mean, if you go to Disney World for vacation with the kids, you can rest assured that no porno is available on the hotel TV. No Playboy Channel, no suggestive advertisements in the lobby, nothing that would harm children.
Same thing with Apple. They don't sell pornography in the App Store or anywhere else. You can let your kid use the iPad to watch movies downloaded from the iStore, and you can be certain that NOTHING there would offend the little tykes, or worse, cause them to ask you any embarrassing questions.
That is one reason Apple makes so much profit. They are a family company. They are like the Disneyland of the gadget world.
This is funny
Here is the daily show special on it "Tap Fish Dealer"
http://showyou.com/thedailyshow/h:U-STVaW5D63P5Yyk
Here is the daily show special on it "Tap Fish Dealer"
http://showyou.com/thedailyshow/h:U-STVaW5D63P5Yyk
Exactly my point. If Apple is supposed to be this "safe haven" - then you can't blame parents when the system doesn't work. Parents entrusted Apple (to at least some degree) that their children - or whoever used their device - wouldn't have easy access to rack up charges on their credit card. Clearly Apple's system (at the time) was "broken." Hence the lawsuit. Hence the changes in the process.
Parents SHOULD always keep tabs on their children and what apps they install/have access to. I don't think anyone would argue that point. That's completely irrelevant to the actual issue here.
I'm sorry but that doesn't make much sense..
a parent gives their kid an ipod because they don't want to keep an eye on them but somehow, sending your child outside to play is an action of a more responsible parent??
re: imagination.. dunno but my daughters are constantly making little movies and such.. shooting photos.. drawing etc on their iPad.. seems to me the imagination is going strong and is actually being encouraged via certain apps..
yes.. imagination does get lost from a child.. it has happened to most everybody on the planet for all of humanity.. and by blaming that on video games, it shows you have in fact lost your imagination.. (""no need to figure out the real reasons why adults generally have a lot less imagination than they used to.. I'll just randomly pick something to blame it on and treat it as fact.. I'd rather avoid critical thinking "")
And all of this is irrelevant (btw I agree with you mostly). This isn't an issue about parenting - no matter who wants to lay that claim. This is about a faulty purchase system which made it too easy to have unauthorized purchases made on an account.
Something Apple already acknowledged was an issue and has since fixed it. So what is all this brouhaha about fault? Apple's already admitted fault. End of story.
Something Apple already acknowledged was an issue and has since fixed it. So what is all this brouhaha about fault? Apple's already admitted fault. End of story.
Right. I am a parent with a young daughter. I have no use for porn and would prefer rating the material if Apple is going to allow it.
I also think this is an example of parents shifting the blame. If your child cannot discern the difference between an in-app feature that is free and one that costs real money, then it is the parents' responsibility to supervise their child. Yes, this means being with your child. Problems with shifty language in an app warrants appeal to Apple and the use of the judicial system [to file a complaint against the software developer, not the software distributor]. Some lessons in life are costly.
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It's not, it's a parenting problem. Personal responsibility is a dying art.
Except your logic falls apart when you consider that the same issue occurs if you lend your iPad or iPhone to a buddy to play a game and they purposely (or not) rack up charges on your card.
Bad parenting?
Too easy of an excuse - and smoke and mirrors.
The bottom line is - the purchasing process was flawed. Even if you want to argue parenting - it doesn't change the fact that their was a flawed purchasing process.
It's not, it's a parenting problem. Personal responsibility is a dying art.
it would be neat to see you explain how this is a parenting problem.. in a way that shows you actually know what the original post is about.
You may be more tech savvy than the average person. You have to remember there are a vast amount of people who have iPads / iPhones who consider syncing iDevice to PC a very technical task. It wouldn't dawn on these people to sign out first. Apple cater for the lowest common dominator, but some how made IAP too easy at the beginning. Apple are in a difficult situation here when it comes to kids making IAP.
This is a sad but true fact.
I've heard of hired Nanny / daycarers who use this method.. give the toddler / preschooler an iDevice to play with all day.... when they are paid to stimulate the child. They aren't doing their job properly.
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the only way a parent would be able to prevent this is if they either signed out or hovered over their child and inspected every single tap they do on these devices
this is not bad parenting, it's a flawed system that should of taken into consideration the vulnerabilities of children handling these devices and falling into developers traps
this is not bad parenting, it's a flawed system that should of taken into consideration the vulnerabilities of children handling these devices and falling into developers traps
This is why Microsoft's Kid's Corner and Amazon's FreeTime are so awesome. You can allow your kids to play on the device with limited access to certain features. That way the parent can keep all their settings without worrying so much.
Guided Acces is a great idea, but it works better for teachers, museums, and other places where locking users into a single app makes sense.
Guided Acces is a great idea, but it works better for teachers, museums, and other places where locking users into a single app makes sense.
The purchasing process may be flawed, but people still need to take responsibility for their actions, including the actions of others to whom they have lended their possessions.
It's no different than if you lend your car to your buddy who doesn't have sufficient insurance and then gets into an auto accident. You then become liable (at least in my state). Same with lending a friend anything, e.g., a lawn mower. If they use the lawn mower but damage it, whether through neglect or through normal use, you don't sue your friend. You accept (in advance) that this might happen and you fix it. If your friend is really a person of integrity, then that person will offer to (pay to) fix or to help (pay to) fix the problem. When you let someone use something you own, you assume partial responsibility for that person and are in essence vouching for that person. If you don't want that risk, don't lend out your possessions.
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This is why...
Last year before apple made it CLEAR to parents on how to disable in app purchases on their children's iPods, children where buying in app purchases and paying a ridiculous £60! for a 'virtual' box of berries to add to their little game. After several purchases parents were being billed hundred of pounds in a matter of days coming off of their credit cards. Do you even know what that does to someone's finances? And Apple were ignorant enough to allow those deceptive games on their App Store that are CLEARLY marketed at children and CLEARLY designed to be deceptive. Children had no idea that the little virtual 'shop' that sold little gold nuggets and virtual berries was actually REAL and real money was being used to buy it. I worked for a long time with an effected family and tested the apps and saw just how easy it was at that time to do that. So don't for one second think or assume that Apple is not responsible, they are. People should not be so quick to jump on the 'bad parenting' wagon, most of these parents are good parents and try to be responsible with their children but they often get cheated by companies that provide those deceptive games. And don't for one second try and justify a £60 box of virtual berries.
Last year before apple made it CLEAR to parents on how to disable in app purchases on their children's iPods, children where buying in app purchases and paying a ridiculous £60! for a 'virtual' box of berries to add to their little game. After several purchases parents were being billed hundred of pounds in a matter of days coming off of their credit cards. Do you even know what that does to someone's finances? And Apple were ignorant enough to allow those deceptive games on their App Store that are CLEARLY marketed at children and CLEARLY designed to be deceptive. Children had no idea that the little virtual 'shop' that sold little gold nuggets and virtual berries was actually REAL and real money was being used to buy it. I worked for a long time with an effected family and tested the apps and saw just how easy it was at that time to do that. So don't for one second think or assume that Apple is not responsible, they are. People should not be so quick to jump on the 'bad parenting' wagon, most of these parents are good parents and try to be responsible with their children but they often get cheated by companies that provide those deceptive games. And don't for one second try and justify a £60 box of virtual berries.
Mac helped the Ina app purchasers deceive
I was a victim of this trick. Before handing a new IPod touch 2nd generation over to my 8 yr old daughter, I went through the parental controls and thought I had turned on all the various blocks. Except for the In app purchases (I had no idea what they were, and there is no explanation in the control panel) all parental controls had to be turned ON. In app purchasing had to be SHUT OFF.
So let me explain this again:
If you don't want your kid to see porn, you turn on a block. If you don't want them purchasing music, movies etc. you turn on a block. In all cases of parental control, you had to switch something ON. EXCEPT IN-APP PURCHASING. You have to shut it OFF.
This scheme was designed by Apple. They are responsible for it. In my case, my daughter racked up $275.00 in the first 1/2 hour of using Pet Shop (buy this dog food or your puppy will die!!!!!!). But then again, Apple did the right thing for me. When I called them, they forgave the debit, told me how to shut off the control, and warned me they would not forgive any more purchases.
I was a victim of this trick. Before handing a new IPod touch 2nd generation over to my 8 yr old daughter, I went through the parental controls and thought I had turned on all the various blocks. Except for the In app purchases (I had no idea what they were, and there is no explanation in the control panel) all parental controls had to be turned ON. In app purchasing had to be SHUT OFF.
So let me explain this again:
If you don't want your kid to see porn, you turn on a block. If you don't want them purchasing music, movies etc. you turn on a block. In all cases of parental control, you had to switch something ON. EXCEPT IN-APP PURCHASING. You have to shut it OFF.
This scheme was designed by Apple. They are responsible for it. In my case, my daughter racked up $275.00 in the first 1/2 hour of using Pet Shop (buy this dog food or your puppy will die!!!!!!). But then again, Apple did the right thing for me. When I called them, they forgave the debit, told me how to shut off the control, and warned me they would not forgive any more purchases.
Bad analogy - it's not the same.
This issue never affected me - but let me know how you feel when/if your account gets compromised based a flawed purchase process.
Again - the issue has nothing to do with all of this smoke and mirrors. There was a flawed process for purchases in the app store. What else is there to really discuss? Apple fixed the flaw and is now paying back those that were affected by the flaw.
I guess people can gripe or try and blame other people - but it seems rather silly.
The analogy is intended to demonstrate parents taking responsibility for the actions of their children, for whom they have even more responsibility than a friend.
I do think Apple should have a system in place to deal with complaints about deceptive practices within applications which charge people for IAP without being clear about the fact that real money is being charged. Apple should have a way to reverse the charges, much in the same way that a credit card company or PayPal is able to reverse charges (but let's not get into PayPal's policies here--the point is one of method).
Perhaps Apple is here recognizing this flaw in their system and justly compensating people who have been wronged; however, it is also too easy for most Americans to shift blame. If you are going to hand off your iPad or iPhone to your child without supervision, don't be surprised if something bad happens.
like I said.. it would be neat to see an explanation of how this is bad parenting in a way which shows you actually understand the issue in the OP..
seeing how you didn't once even gently mention the topic at hand, it's pretty obvious you don't understand what's going on here..
Don't give a CHILD an iPhone. Period.
To those who are saying essentially that Apple is doing this because they believe there's some vulnerability given the legal complaint, Apple is doing this for the same reason insurers pay off scammers... to make them go away.
If you're going to reproduce, have the common sense to make sure your child is old enough/mature enough to know to ASK you for permission before tapping something to 'buy'. My daughter was 9 for her first cell phone and 11 for the first iPhone. First rule of iPhone... don't buy or even download anything without permission. Simple rule. And lo-and-behold...no 'unknown' charges.
If you're a parent that lets a child who doesn't know any better do this, then you deserve to have your money taken as a "stupid tax".
To those who are saying essentially that Apple is doing this because they believe there's some vulnerability given the legal complaint, Apple is doing this for the same reason insurers pay off scammers... to make them go away.
If you're going to reproduce, have the common sense to make sure your child is old enough/mature enough to know to ASK you for permission before tapping something to 'buy'. My daughter was 9 for her first cell phone and 11 for the first iPhone. First rule of iPhone... don't buy or even download anything without permission. Simple rule. And lo-and-behold...no 'unknown' charges.
If you're a parent that lets a child who doesn't know any better do this, then you deserve to have your money taken as a "stupid tax".
Ha!
or why just make parental controls more intuitive to use? Is there any parent in the world who would seriously consider giving a child a credit card? Perhaps, but they are a very rare breed. All they need to do is make it so when you chose to set up parental controls, that the default is to have in app purchasing off. Those with money to burn can turn it on if they want.
or why just make parental controls more intuitive to use? Is there any parent in the world who would seriously consider giving a child a credit card? Perhaps, but they are a very rare breed. All they need to do is make it so when you chose to set up parental controls, that the default is to have in app purchasing off. Those with money to burn can turn it on if they want.