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As noted by 9to5Mac, iTunes Store customers have begun receiving emails notifying them of the settlement of a class action lawsuit related to unauthorized In-App Purchases made by children. The lawsuit originated from parents whose children racked up significant In-App Purchase bills through Apple's systems that in some cases allowed purchases to be made without requiring a password for the Apple ID account.
In the email, Apple outlines the settlement terms, which allow affected users to receive a minimum of a $5 iTunes Store credit. Users with more than $5 in charges can receive the full documented amount in credit, with cash refunds available to those with more than $30 in charges or who no longer have iTunes Store accounts.
You may choose between (a) a single $5 iTunes Store credit or (b) a credit equal to the total amount of Game Currency that a minor charged to your iTunes account without your knowledge or permission within a single forty-five (45) day period, less any refund you previously received (“Aggregate Relief”). A cash refund in lieu of an iTunes Store credit is available if (a) you no longer have an active iTunes account, or (b) your claims exceed $30 in total. Additional requirements for claiming charges after the forty-five (45) day period apply. You must complete a valid Claim Form to receive settlement benefits.
Users wishing to exclude themselves from the proposed settlement have until August 30 to do so, and those seeking iTunes Store credits or refunds have until January 13, 2014 to submit their claim forms. A searchable list of qualifying apps is available on the settlement website, and over 23 million users are expected to receive claim notices informing them that they may be eligible for compensation.
Top Rated Comments
You should probably look into this case a bit more. For starters would you really have a 4 year old out mowing lawns? Let me know how that works for you. Second, the way in app purchases used to work app designers made it such that you didn't even know you were spending real money.
You are a great hypothetical parent! You should write a self-help book on how to be a great hypothetical parent of non-existent children! If you did, it would be a best-seller! :D
Clearly you don't have a kid, as you so eloquently put it. How about going after the person who deceived your kid? How about that? The concept of money is not easily understood by children, surely stopping the deception of vulnerable children in the first place might be something to consider?
If I had a kid, and he racked up a $100 bill for app purchases, he's be mowing out neighbors yards and making the money to pay me back.
He/she would think twice about doing it again.
Considering I would wake up at 5 in the morning to play Zelda or Ice Climber when my parents specifically told me not to, I think it's a safe assumption to make that my kid has it in her to circumvent her parent's wishes.
Consumers get coupon/credit and close to nothing.
Filing the paperwork takes more time than what you get.
And, all that because whenever somebody in USA screws up (as in bad parenting) they look for somebody else to blame and pay!