In a settlement announced on Wednesday, Apple will refund at least $32.5 million in order to settle a federal case involving purchases made on mobile applications.
The Federal Trade Commission said that Apple will make refunds to parents for purchases made by kids. According to the FTC complaint, the charges were incurred when the children were playing computer games. When playing games like “Dragon Story” on mobile applications, the kids clicked on images on the computer screen. This immediately generated into purchases.
According to the Reuters, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said, "Whether you're doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply. You cannot charge consumers for purchases they did not authorize."
The FTC found that Apple’s billing practices were at fault. As part of the settlement, Apple must pay full refunds to consumers. If the figure doesn't amount to $32.5 million, the difference would be paid to the FTC, according to the Associated Press.
Apple has until Mar. 31 to create new billing policies.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
