Google sued over kids’ apps

Google made it too easy for children to download apps and rack up big bills without their parents’ consent, according to a new class-action lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. district court, is similar to charges from the Federal Trade Commission about Apple, which were settled for $32.5 million worth of refunds in January. 

“Google has unfairly profited by marketing free or low-cost games to children and by permitting them to easily rack up charges for worthless in-game currency, by failing to incorporate reasonable controls such as simply requiring the entry of a password,” said Shanon Carson, a lawyer at Berger and Montague who is working on the case, in a statement.

{mosads}”Google is certainly aware that its primary competitor, Apple, has taken steps to end this unfair practice, and Google should do the same.”

Many games and apps on Google’s Play store are free or sold for a low cost, but offer a number of in-game purchases to advance to new levels or perform new actions.

Google requires users to enter a password before downloading or spending money in an app. That authorization lasts for up to 30 minutes, however, during which time children can buy games or features without their parents’ knowdlge.

Berger and Montague, the law firm, was also involved in the Apple case.

In that instance, the iPhone maker was charged with allowing children to spend hundreds of dollars of their parents’ money on games, puzzles and apps. One child allegedly racked up $2,600 in charges on the game Tap Pet Hotel.

The company was ordered to refund millions of families’ charges and change its billing habits.