Apple lets parents down over in-app purchases, says EU

The European commission (EC) has praised Google but criticised Apple over the steps both companies are taking to ensure children don't spend money on in-app purchases (IAP) without their parents' permission, the Guardian reported.

The EC has been working with consumer protection bodies in its member states, as well as app store owners, to improve their policies following controversies and concerns around the use of IAP in apps and games played by children.

The commission has set out rules for the app store owners to follow, including not advertising games as "free" and misleading people about the true costs; and banning "direct exhortation to children to buy items in a game or to persuade an adult to buy items for them".

It has also demanded that in-app purchases should not be made "through default settings without consumers' explicit consent", and insisted that apps firms provide email addresses so that they can be contacted with queries and complaints.

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