'Smurfs' Village' iOS in-app purchases reportedly catch Apple's ire

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 71
    801801 Posts: 271member
    Those dirty Smurfs. They are so wily.
  • Reply 22 of 71
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by scotty321 View Post


    This is not Apple's fault nor responsibility. The parents who are too stupid to understand what is going on here are too stupid to have children in the first place. There are PARENTAL CONTROLS built into every iPhone!



    Ah... technological elitism at its best.

    "Everyone should spend every waking moment learning to become a computer wiz like I did... if they have other things to do with their lives, they're stupid."
  • Reply 23 of 71
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    REQUIRE PASSWORD FOR IN-APP PURCHASES. EACH TIME. Simple.
  • Reply 24 of 71
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ktappe View Post


    And if the child in question is 4 years old? Good luck trying to teach them not to click on the pretty smurfberry they need to expand their Smurf village. I wonder if you've ever been a parent. It's a lot easier to criticize than actually do.



    Bravo.
  • Reply 25 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    If the kid is 4 years old then A. don't tell them your password or B. don't put your password in and let them go wild buying stuff.



    As many have already said, iOS doesn't handle this well. Let me spell it out for you:

    1. Child asks for app

    2. Parent enters password and download app (maybe even pokes around in the app)

    4. Parent hands device to child

    5. No additional password required for in-app purchase for 15 minutes



    Does every parent understand that the child can make in-app purchases without entering a password? Many here do, I doubt the average person does.
  • Reply 26 of 71
    Apple, as a parent, it would be GREATLY appreciated if there was a setting that required password EVERY time it is needed. I have to go into the app store after buying something and manually log out before I give my ipad or iphone to my 4 year old daughter.



    This is something I have wanted since the App store came out.



    PLEASE!
  • Reply 27 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stompy View Post


    As many have already said, iOS doesn't handle this well. Let me spell it out for you:

    1. Child asks for app

    2. Parent enters password and download app (maybe even pokes around in the app)

    4. Parent hands device to child

    5. No additional password required for in-app purchase for 15 minutes



    Does every parent understand that the child can make in-app purchases without entering a password? Many here do, I doubt the average person does.



    That's probably true, but still you have to watch what your kids are doing or teach them that it's not ok to buy things without permission. I know that's easier said than done but people blaming Apple are pointing their fingers at the wrong people.
  • Reply 28 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GQB View Post


    Ah... technological elitism at its best.

    "Everyone should spend every waking moment learning to become a computer wiz like I did... if they have other things to do with their lives, they're stupid."



    You have to be a computer wiz to go to Settings and then Parental Controls? I'm in a whole different class of computer intelligence then.
  • Reply 29 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stompy View Post


    Does every parent understand that the child can make in-app purchases without entering a password? Many here do, I doubt the average person does.



    Nope - I was under the impression that every in-app purchase required a separate authentication
  • Reply 30 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by scotty321 View Post


    This is not Apple's fault nor responsibility. The parents who are too stupid to understand what is going on here are too stupid to have children in the first place. There are PARENTAL CONTROLS built into every iPhone!



    In this case, the simplest solution would be to decouple the password cache when you're actually making a purchase through the iTunes Store, from the password requirements when you're using the in-app purchase mechanism. This would not add any significant amount of inconvenience, and it would be an effective measure to protect against unintended charges in situations like this.



    Seems like everybody wins. Why wouldn't you support it?
  • Reply 31 of 71
    dave k.dave k. Posts: 1,306member
    Does playing Smurf's Village require (or strongly suggested) in-app purchasing? If so, it is clearly then not a free app.



    Free apps are free to download and use. Apple should make some other distinction on their site for these kind of things...



    What is stopping from developers to add all sorts of BS add-on garbage to their apps tricking people into entering their iTunes accounts...
  • Reply 32 of 71
    If we're looking for solutions, why not just add the option into settings. Personally I'd rather have it ask me every 15 minutes like it does now but if you want it to ask you every single time then give us that option.
  • Reply 33 of 71
    pt123pt123 Posts: 696member
    This is a good reason why I have in app purchase disabled.
  • Reply 34 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stevetim View Post


    Sounds to me like Steve Jobs needs to have a little talk with papa smurf.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Those dirty Smurfs. They are so wily.



    Apple's fault: OS X has always required credentials for doing anything that would affect the system. Why isn't password protection for in-app purchases always opt-in and not based on a login timeout? Also, why must I jailbreak my iPhone in order to have functionality that should be included in the iOS like the JB app LockDown?



    Capcom's fault: Charging up to $99.99 for "6 Wagons of Smurfberries" in an otherwise "free" game targeted at children 4 years and older? Warning or not, this reckless.



    Parent's fault: Not paying closer attention to what their children are up playing and the possible consequences, particularly handing a child your iOS device so soon after entering your credentials. I wouldn't let my child play a game that would then be nagging later for purchasing further game time or credits knowing full well the child will then start nagging me to make the purchase.



    Children's fault: Not having their own job and income sufficient to support their Smurfberry habit!
  • Reply 35 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    You have to be a computer wiz to go to Settings and then Parental Controls? I'm in a whole different class of computer intelligence then.



    Consider that many people (parents or not) may not even know what an in-app purchase is. It was added well after the app store came to be, and as for the updated user terms popup... find me 5 people that have read through the agreement in its entirety.
  • Reply 36 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    I don't think it is the developers fault if parents failed to keep an eye on theirs or their children iPhone/iPods. I bought my son an iPod touch and the first thing I did was disable everything (Safari, Youtube, iTunes, App Store.. etc). When I purchase new game I never hand him back the iPod until I disable the app store and test the game to make sure the game is appropriate.



    It seems that most parents these days need someone to parent them too



    That's nothing. Before I let my kids play with an app, I run a background check on the developer. Then I spend a week testing the app and investigating every possible interaction. A cost benefit analysis is run and then debated at the next family meeting. Clergy are brought into the picture and they once again write an in depth report on the possible benefits and harms of the app to my child. The a test child is used to 'play' with the app, which then calls for a battery of test to be run by doctors to see if any ill effects can be detected. Once these measures are complete the app can then be used by my child, but only in a monitored underground anechoic bunker with NO internet connection possible.

    Any effort less then this, bad parenting.
  • Reply 37 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    That's probably true, but still you have to watch what your kids are doing or teach them that it's not ok to buy things without permission. I know that's easier said than done but people blaming Apple are pointing their fingers at the wrong people.



    EXACTLY. My grandkids love to play with my iPhone and iPad BUT have been taught by my daughter that NEVER do anything with the devices unless approved by grandpa or grandma.

    This is called personal responsibility. Not very well known nowadays, it seems.
  • Reply 38 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    That's probably true, but still you have to watch what your kids are doing or teach them that it's not ok to buy things without permission. I know that's easier said than done but people blaming Apple are pointing their fingers at the wrong people.



    So a 2 year old can equate a screen tap to monetary responsibility? This is not like the stories of a kid grabbing mommy's credit card and ordering a Papa Smurf Chia Pet from a TV ad. I've read one person in another thread here had watched their kid tap the screen quicker then they could snatch the device away. Re-auth in-apps... done
  • Reply 39 of 71
    tjwaltjwal Posts: 404member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1 View Post


    Parents don't know what's going on their children's phone until the bill comes in. Great parenting.



    Very young children are often more tech literate than some parents nowadays so I don't think disparaging their parenting skills is justified.



    A lot of parents didn't know what was happening on their own phone, either, unitl 900 number sex charges showed up on their bill.



    In any case kudus to Apple for their refunds. Legally they don't have to but it is is the "right" thing to do.
  • Reply 40 of 71
    tjwaltjwal Posts: 404member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iLoveStuff View Post


    That's nothing. Before I let my kids play with an app, I run a background check on the developer. Then I spend a week testing the app and investigating every possible interaction. A cost benefit analysis is run and then debated at the next family meeting. Clergy are brought into the picture and they once again write an in depth report on the possible benefits and harms of the app to my child. The a test child is used to 'play' with the app, which then calls for a battery of test to be run by doctors to see if any ill effects can be detected. Once these measures are complete the app can then be used by my child, but only in a monitored underground anechoic bunker with NO internet connection possible.

    Any effort less then this bad parenting.





    ROTFLMA
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