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The Federal Trade Commission recently found that since 2011, Google has made it too easy for kids to purchase items within applications. And now Google has agreed to pay a sizable sum as a result.
The FTC found that kids could find items within apps ranging in prices, from $1 to $200, including educational apps, without the parent’s explicit permission. This result is actually just one of many that the FTC has made, or will make, that include in-app purchases from a wide range of companies, including Apple, Amazon and others. Based on the findings from the FTC, and the case brought against Google, the search giant has agreed to settle for $19 million, which it will pay back to consumers.
[via The Washington Post]“For millions of American families, smartphones and tablets have become a part of their daily lives,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a release. “As more Americans embrace mobile technology, it’s vital to remind companies that time-tested consumer protections still apply, including that consumers should not be charged for purchases they did not authorize.“
