It is so easy to make
in-app purchases. You may have just accidentally pressed “get more levels”
without realizing it is going to charge you for it, or maybe you just tapped
the wrong button accidentally and all the sudden have a bunch of extra lives in
Candy Crush. And if it is that easy for adults to accidentally make in-app
purchases, just imagine how easy it is for a kid who just wants to keep playing
or get help through the level. Your child might not even know what he or she is
doing when they ask for more lives or extra help. That is why the FTC is really
upset with Apple.
Complaints of Unauthorized In-App Purchases
I know a lot of
parents who are very careful about letting their kids play on their phones. One
of the reasons may be that the sticky fingers may put dirt and grime on the
phone that can never be cleaned off, but another reason is simply that they
don’t want their kids making in-app purchases. With it being so easy to just
press a button and buy things, kids are always willing to spend their parents’
money. Parents are always complaining about bills they’ve gotten associated
with in-app purchases on games they have never played. But now, Apple is in
trouble for it.
Lawsuit From FTC
The FTC believes it
is unfair to charge parents for in-app purchases made by minors in mistake.
There needs to be a better way of monitoring it. According to USA Today, the
FTC has settled with Apple for $32.5 million and requires refunds on in-app
purchases made by an unauthorized minor to customers. The suit also requires
that there be changes made to the way in-app purchases work to where there is a
more authorized way to ensure the purchase was not an accident. Consumers
everywhere are excited about the win against Apple for this kind of behavior
because it means they are being protected by the FTC.
Honesty With In-App Purchases
Do you have an app
for your company? And what do you do to protect your customers? This is
something you should think about. Of course it’s kind of convenient when you
get extra sales because someone’s kid bought something in your app. However,
you should have as much protections as possible for your customers, so they
will be happy with you. The problem is that if you start to be known as a
dishonest company or a company that is unable to keep customers happy, then new
customers will be very hesitant to download your app or try you out. By
protecting your customers from the beginning and putting in safety features to
prevent unauthorized in-app purchases in the first place, your customers will
feel safe and as if they can trust you.
Mobile All The Way
If you don’t already
have a smartphone app available for your business or at least a mobile website,
you should consider making these changes. Getting your mobile website up to
speed could make all the difference in today’s world where technology and
smartphones are taking over. Stay on top by using mobile.
Mobile technology
news brought to you by businesstexter.com
Source:
usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/15/apple-ftc-settlement/4491365/
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