The games for children most popular often offer to add accessories virtual, to enjoy a level exclusive… but forget even more clear to young players that the transaction is billed very expensive. This technique misleading, widespread on the online games that offers Facebook applications, is the social network to be attacked by seventeen associations of american parents, or of defense of digital rights, before the consumer protection authority, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), according to the New York Times.
The plaintiffs have asked the FTC to determine if Facebook violates the laws on the protection of consumers and the protection of the privacy of children by encouraging them to make purchases built-in via games such as Angry Birds, PetVille Ninja Saga, without the permission of their parents and with no further possibility to obtain refunds. In a statement, Facebook said that in 2016, it had updated its policies about purchases by minors. “We have put in place mechanisms to prevent the fraud at the time of purchase, and we offer people the opportunity to challenge and obtain a refund”, the statement said.
Apple and Google are already pinned
The plaintiffs hope their complaints will be pressure on Facebook to “take forceful measures to change the business practices related to the children,” reports the New York Times. According to them, Facevook has knowingly permitted the development of misleading and deceptive practices for this very vulnerable population. To support their claims, they are based on the documents of a group action conducted in 2012, in which Facebook has brought to an end in 2016 via a financial agreement the amount of which remains secret. The 135 pages of unsealed documents included internal memoranda and e-mails in which employees of Facebook that encouraged game developers to create capabilities that allow children to charge the credit card associated with the accounts of the parents, while playing games. In many cases, the children do not realize that the credit cards of their parents were charged.
The FTC, who is fighting against fraud, deception and unfair practices to consumers has already taken actions against the in-app purchases for erroneous or misleading. In 2013, the agency carried out a survey on purchases of “gold coins” in games for children on smartphones. At the end of this work, Apple and Google – who also own the app stores – have been pinned. The FTC has concluded an agreement of $ 32.5 million with Apple, and a settlement of $ 19 million with Google concerning allegations that children have been deceived to make such purchases and that the companies had not properly warned the parents of the purchases of their children.
