It’s so easy to buy apps and then buy even more stuff within those apps, even a kid can do it. Which is exactly why a court has ordered Facebook to refund parents whose children made unapproved app purchases while using the social media network.
A California court has ruled that Facebook has to provide refunds for purchases children made in apps and games if they or their parents request it, which could shape up to be hundreds of thousands of claims, reports The Guardian.
The decision is the latest movement in a class-action brought in February 2012 against Facebook by two kids and their parents, over purchases of Facebook Credits, a virtual currency the social network no longer uses.
Facebook Credits could be used to buy virtual good in games like Farmville, which could be played within Facebook.
Users as young as 13 can sign up for Facebook, and although the company tells minors that purchases should be made only with permission from their parents, the social network didn’t require evidence that parents had given that approval when purchases were made.
Facebook argued that the kids involved in the case had received and used the electronic goods they bought, but the court rejected this reasoning and ruled that the minors were entitled to refunds even for items they used.
As a result of this settlement, Facebook has introduced a feature that allows users to request refunds for purchases made by minors.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of all Facebook users under the age of 18 who made purchases through their account between February 2008 and March 2015.
“These kids don’t really know what they are doing,” the lead attorney representing the families in the lawsuit told The Guardian. “They’ve got a credit card they put into their account and they don’t realize that every time they click on some button in the game to get some extra magic coin, the company is charging the parent’s account.”
If you want to request a payout, go to Facebook Payments Support and follow the instructions.
Facebook is still putting a plan into place for handling the settlement’s provisions, including how to communicate the decision to anyone who might be affected. It’s instead reviewing each case individually for the moment.
Has your child bought a Facebook app without asking? You can get a refund [The Guardian]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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