Apple Faces Class-Action Suit For In-App Purchases

suraj.sun writes with this excerpt from Ars Technica: "Garen Meguerian and a team of lawyers are taking Apple to task for 'inducing' children to spend hundreds of dollars of their parents' money on in-app game purchases. Meguerian filed a class-action lawsuit this week in California, acknowledging that Apple has already addressed the problem, but saying that the company continues to unfairly profit from sales of virtual 'smurfberries' and 'fish bucks.' The issue at hand is related to games that rely on a 'freemium' business model, giving away the game for free on the App Store and relying on in-app purchases of virtual currency, extra levels, or other add-ons as a revenue stream."

Comments

Although I do find this business model stupid

[Derekloffin]

I can't really say Apple is doing anything wrong here. They have not only the option to disable said purchases available, they also went the extra step of modifying their password handling. Seems just like another case of stupid parenting to me.

Press the Big Shiny Button for a Suprise!

[ackthpt]

Would you like to buy a cookie for your pet?

o_o

It's a really good cookie!

O_o

With chocolate and stuff!

O_O

Your pet will wuv oo!

@_@

You bought a cookie!
It was nummy!
Your pet wuvs oo!
 
Buy another?

@_@

Yay! Your pet weally, weally wuvs oo!

[repeat n times]

Thanks for buying all the cookies for your very happy pet!
Charging $483.75 to account.

+_+

Re:Bad parenting

[scot4875]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: this is a children's game. THERE IS NO REASON FOR A CHILDREN'S GAME TO ALLOW ITS PLAYERS TO SPEND $100 ON IN-GAME ITEMS.

What the fuck is wrong with you "parents are being neglectful" people?

--Jeremy