A Father Files A Lawsuit against Apple for Child 'Exploitation' Through its In-App Purchases

A father of two daughters, residing in Pennsylvania, has officially filed a court case against Apples, as he alleges the company tricks the immature kids into paying real-world currency with no notices and enough authentication through its ‘in-app purchases’ of the free games of iPhone and other iOS devices.

Image via CrunchBase

The name of the father is Garen Meguerian, who belongs to Phoenixville, and has launched this court case for not only himself only, but he claims to be represent all the suffered parents and guardians whose children’s have been tricked. Apple Insider looks into the brief detail of the documents of the case, which it says is accusing Apple for permitting the unauthorized charges for any content within the gaming experience, as it amounts to “unlawful exploitation” of children. It was also mentioned that the documents precisely targeted the games which are designed on the iOS platform devices, i.e. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, provided they are facilitating the selection of digital merchandise. The games which were highlighting examples of the documents ranked from Zombie Cafe to City Story.

The two daughters of Meguerian, who are apparently, aged nine and twelve years, also wind up pouring a total amount of $200 in these in-app purchases. The games mentioned by the fathers, which his daughters specifically fell victim to, were “Zombie Toxin,” “Gems” and “City Cash.”

Meguerian brings up in the case documents that Apple initially allows for the opening fifteen minutes for the in-app purchases once the iTunes account password has been verified. This gives the app user the ability to sanction any purchases they want, regardless of whether it has the consent of the account holder or not, after all the apple account holder has to pay the bill.

It has also been reported in the lawsuit, that has has did Apple newly refreshed its rules for the in-app purchases in the latest update of iOS 4.3, which now asks for the password entry each time any kind of purchase is made. But this is no good for Meguerian as he had made the accusation and filed the court case before the implementation of this changed policy. In fact he even adds up to the fact, that is still not enough to have only asked for the password only. He clarifies, “Because the passwords now required for purchases of Game Currency are the same passwords required for any Apple purchase, minors aware of such password may purchase Game Currency without authorization from their parents for that purchase.”