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sootman writes:
Apple has sent an email out to iTunes users informing them that if a child has made an unauthorized in-app purchase, the money may be refunded.
We've heard from some customers that it was too easy for their kids to make in-app purchases. As a result, we've improved controls for parents so they can better manage their children's purchases, or restrict them entirely. Additionally, we are offering refunds in certain cases. Our records show that you made some in-app purchases, and if any of these were unauthorized purchases by a minor, you might be eligible for a refund from Apple.
They go on to describe a process where you can look at your purchase history and mark any that you'd like a refund on if they were made by minors. The program will run until April 15, 2015.
This comes as a result of an agreement between Apple and the FTC earlier this year.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by maddening milkshakes on Friday March 28 2014, @04:12AM
I got one of those emails. Figured it was a phishing attack of some kind and deleted it. I expected something like that would use my name, not "iTunes account owner". Since it's due to an FTC settlement, I guess we're on a budget.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Udo Schmitz on Friday March 28 2014, @05:36AM
Actually? Apple already had settled a class action when the FTC got involved and it is not clear if the FTC decision changes anything about it, besides getting press and sending some of the money to them:
""Last year," Cook writes to his staff, "we set out to refund any in-app purchase which may have been made without a parent's permission. We wanted to reach every customer who might have been affected, so we sent emails to 28 million App Store customers -- anyone who had made an in-app purchase in a game designed for kids. When some emails bounced, we mailed the parents postcards. In all, we received 37,000 claims and we will be reimbursing each one as promised."
A federal judge had signed off on this settlement and Apple had begun mailing out reimbursement checks when the FTC, under newly-appointed Chairwoman Ramirez, decided to get involved."
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/15/apple-ftc-k id-apps/ [cnn.com]
More from article:
"Which brings us to that $32.5 million. It's not clear from any of the documents how this figure was arrived at, nor whether the refunds Apple has already paid will be subtracted from it. By the terms of the consent agreement, Apple must pay out "a minimum" of $32.5 million -- or roughly $880 for each of Apple's complainants. ... wait for it ... the commission."
Any money that's not spent -- which could, in theory, be millions of dollars -- goes to