iTunes Store Customers Notified of Settlement in In-App Purchase Lawsuit

[MacRumors]

As noted by 9to5Mac, iTunes Store customers have begun receiving emails notifying them of the settlement of a class action lawsuit related to unauthorized In-App Purchases made by children. The lawsuit originated from parents whose children racked up significant In-App Purchase bills through Apple's systems that in some cases allowed purchases to be made without requiring a password for the Apple ID account.

In the email, Apple outlines the settlement terms, which allow affected users to receive a minimum of a $5 iTunes Store credit. Users with more than $5 in charges can receive the full documented amount in credit, with cash refunds available to those with more than $30 in charges or who no longer have iTunes Store accounts.

You may choose between (a) a single $5 iTunes Store credit or (b) a credit equal to the total amount of Game Currency that a minor charged to your iTunes account without your knowledge or permission within a single forty-five (45) day period, less any refund you previously received ("Aggregate Relief"). A cash refund in lieu of an iTunes Store credit is available if (a) you no longer have an active iTunes account, or (b) your claims exceed $30 in total. Additional requirements for claiming charges after the forty-five (45) day period apply. You must complete a valid Claim Form to receive settlement benefits.

Users wishing to exclude themselves from the proposed settlement have until August 30 to do so, and those seeking iTunes Store credits or refunds have until January 13, 2014 to submit their claim forms. A searchable list of qualifying apps is available on the settlement website, and over 23 million users are expected to receive claim notices informing them that they may be eligible for compensation.

Article Link: iTunes Store Customers Notified of Settlement in In-App Purchase Lawsuit

 

[davidec]

We are gonna be rich.

 

[ironsienna]

Skeuomorphic icon!!! Red Alert!!! Jony is coming to redesign it!!!

 

[GoCubsGo]

Sceuvomorphic icon!

How so?


How much did the lawyers get?

 

[TWSS37]

You can't put a price tag on inattentive parenting.

 

[silvetti]

What If I can't remember if I got charged because my kid used my phone ?

Can I still file the charge and they will check on their side ?

 

[Supermule]

What about people who paid to much for their Macbook?

 

[mikelegacy]

How about this? How about these people just parent their damn children.

If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.

He/she would think twice about doing it again.

 

[ValSalva]

What about people who paid to much for their Macbook?

Yes, I think I was charged too much during an in-app purchase from the Apple Store app

 

[Porco]

They have to fill in a claim form to get their money. Irony!

 

[Thunderhawks]

Class Action = Lawyers got a bundle

Consumers get coupon/credit and close to nothing.

Filing the paperwork takes more time than what you get.

And, all that because whenever somebody in USA screws up (as in bad parenting) they look for somebody else to blame and pay!

 

[Rogifan]

Class Action = Lawyers got a bundle

Consumers get coupon/credit and close to nothing.

Filing the paperwork takes more time than what you get.

And, all that because whenever somebody in USA screws up (as in bad parenting) they look for somebody else to blame and pay!

It's the American way.

 

[HardRain]

The IAP system is evil, plain and simple. It is a system of extortion designed to trick and deceive. No one in their right mind would allow such blatant scamming in any other area of life would they?

Sadly Apple's hunger for $'s blinded them from taking proper measures to prevent such issues. Talk about turning a blind eye.

 

[chirpie]

You can't put a price tag on inattentive parenting.

I'll bet the farm you've yet to produce offspring.

Considering I would wake up at 5 in the morning to play Zelda or Ice Climber when my parents specifically told me not to, I think it's a safe assumption to make that my kid has it in her to circumvent her parent's wishes.

 

[WordMasterRice]

How about this? How about these people just parent their damn children.

If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.

He/she would think twice about doing it again.

You should probably look into this case a bit more. For starters would you really have a 4 year old out mowing lawns? Let me know how that works for you. Second, the way in app purchases used to work app designers made it such that you didn't even know you were spending real money.

 

[decimortis]

Sweet!
With my credit, I can get those last 5 special edition tractors for my farm!
Suckers!

D.

 

[Gasu E.]

How about this? How about these people just parent their damn children.

If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.

He/she would think twice about doing it again.

You are a great hypothetical parent! You should write a self-help book on how to be a great hypothetical parent of non-existent children! If you did, it would be a best-seller!

 

[HardRain]

How about this? How about these people just parent their damn children.

If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.

He/she would think twice about doing it again.

Clearly you don't have a kid, as you so eloquently put it. How about going after the person who deceived your kid? How about that? The concept of money is not easily understood by children, surely stopping the deception of vulnerable children in the first place might be something to consider?

 

[Gasu E.]

You should probably look into this case a bit more. For starters would you really have a 4 year old out mowing lawns? Let me know how that works for you.

He wouldn't have the kid for long. Child protective services would see to that.

 

[Jsameds]

Entitlement culture strikes again.

Well I suppose it's good PR none the less.

 

[gnasher729]

How about this? How about these people just parent their damn children.

If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.

He/she would think twice about doing it again.

My iPad has at times fallen in the hands of a four year old. Had to remove dozens and dozens of photos of the furniture, floor, ceiling, various body parts and so on. It happens very quickly, and she had no idea she was taking photos. She'll press any buttons that are in sight. Including buttons for in-app purchases. Now my devices are set up so that every single purchase requires a password (no 15 minutes grace period), but there are games that allow single purchases over £50, so without this, she could easily rack up £1000 or £2000 in a few unobserved minutes.

On the other hand, there was a story on MacRumors about a 13 year old racking up £3,000 over several months. In that case, I agree with you (and Apple did as well, refusing any refund).

 

[Aspasia]

I'll bet the farm you've yet to produce offspring.

Considering I would wake up at 5 in the morning to play Zelda or Ice Climber when my parents specifically told me not to, I think it's a safe assumption to make that my kid has it in her to circumvent her parent's wishes.

That's precisely why you should use iTunes cards rather than using your credit card.

 

[litmag01]

I'm going to wait for the class action allowing refunds on ALL "mistaken" online purchases.

 

[Aspasia]

deleted

 

[Jsameds]

My iPad has at times fallen in the hands of a four year old. Had to remove dozens and dozens of photos of the furniture, floor, ceiling, various body parts and so on. It happens very quickly, and she had no idea she was taking photos. She'll press any buttons that are in sight. Including buttons for in-app purchases. Now my devices are set up so that every single purchase requires a password (no 15 minutes grace period), but there are games that allow single purchases over £50, so without this, she could easily rack up £1000 or £2000 in a few unobserved minutes.

On the other hand, there was a story on MacRumors about a 13 year old racking up £3,000 over several months. In that case, I agree with you (and Apple did as well, refusing any refund).

Moral of the story - don't give your iPad to a four year old.