http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/15/5311364/apple-settles-with-ftc-over-in-app-purchases-tim-cook-says

Apple has reached a settlement with the FTC over in-app purchasing, ending a long legal battle that challenged much of the basic functionality of the App Store. As a result of insufficient parental controls, the company is required to refund customers who have been billed for faulty charges, paying out a total of $32.5 million to 37,000 different customers. Apple will also be required to change its billing practice "to ensure that it has obtained express, informed consent from consumers before charging them for items sold in mobile apps."

In one case, a girl spent $2,600 in 15 minutes

According to a companywide letter from Apple CEO Tim Cook, posted by 9to5mac, Apple solicited the claims after hearing complaints of in-app purchases that occurred without a parent's permission. In response, the company emailed every iOS user that had made an in-app purchase in an app designed for children, 28 million accounts in total. Of those 28 million, 37,000 responded with claims and were reimbursed for their purchase. Despite the sweeping nature of the FTC settlement, Cook told employees it "does not require us to do anything we weren’t already going to do."

The FTC took particular issue with Apple's 15-minute window for charging, in which a single password entry can be used to authorize unlimited charges during the following 15 minutes of usage. FTC Chairwoman Edith Martinez said in one case, a girl spent more than $2,600 in that 15-minute window, using the app "Tap Pet Hotel." Martinez said the issue was not the duration of time, but the fact that parents approving in-app purchasing have no way of knowing the full extent of the charges they could incur during that window. The settlement requires Apple to modify its billing practices to allow for more explicit consent, with new safeguards in place no later than March 31st of this year.

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My parents would just smack the hell out of me.. nowadays parents are just gonna sue...

This is why all my android products force a password for every purchase.

$2600 On tap pet hotel? WTF? I bet the devs are laughing all the way to the bank.

Does apple make the devs pay them back or do they take full responsibility for this?

"Apple refunds 32 million dollar cause you weren't watching your kids" is a very flawed thread title.

The industry wants kids to buy bullshit without their parents knowing. In the case of apple some smart judge understood that and apple lost. Lets just hope that will change everywhere.

I mean I cannot use my PC and buy stuff from Amazon without logging in. On amazon even just looking for your order history requires a password.

Hahah

Apple: Kids are buying on our apps without their parents knowing? Yeah, we'll get right on top of that..

......

'Not watching your kids' is a pretty harsh statement when all it takes is a few taps on a screen by an unaware child to charge hundreds or thousands of dollars to your account.

$800+ per person average...dang.

Android... Join Us... Our OS isn't retarded

Why the hell does apple require a credit card to dwnld apps in the 1st place? It's a 2 way streak in regards to parents' or apple's fault.. No company but apple forces consumers to pun in their cc info just to download apps free or not. So it's very much apple's fault as it is the uninformed consumers as well. U honestly expect most of these parents to know any better on in app purchases and password for purchasing. Just because you know how to use electronics doesn't mean every parents do. I'm the tech guy in my family and have had this issue a lot of times it's a bit more apple's fault than it is the parents. Google doesn't require a cc to download free apps even with in app purchases so why does apple do it?

Kids can't be held responsible. Why would the parents think that a company is so stupid to allow a 15 minute window to buy whatever the eff you want without password re-entry. Terrible company policy. What other store gives you free rein for 15 minutes?