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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think some people are a bit stupid re: £1700 ipad bill

48 replies

foreverondiet · 01/03/2013 16:05

link

Probably should don hard hat, but surely its obvious to turn off in app purchases? I mean this stuff has been in press so many times already. And odd that the first time he played with it the ipad the parents weren't watching, and they gave him their password. Also there really are loads of free apps that genuinely are free - so bit ridiculous to ban him now.

OP posts:

surroundedbyblondes · 01/03/2013 19:55

Just had the same conversation with DH. YANBU!!

Mia4 · 01/03/2013 19:58

Cabbagecarrot but these parents are at fault, they did have a passcode to stop this happening with the game- they chose to give their son it, they chose to not check and keep not checking. It's not like it was an accident at all.

Mia4 · 01/03/2013 20:00

Not saying all parents are at fault, some of these things have hidden add-ons and people get unfairly stung however, in this case they were at fault because they chose to give away their passcode.

I'm sure if someone gave their wifi network key to their 5 year old and then got annoyed that their child accessed the internet, no one would say anythign but 'you prat' to them.

lisa1968 · 01/03/2013 20:02

I had a problem similar to this a couple of months ago.
I allowed DD to play a game on Facebook-she'd played it before without any problems.
Next day, I had several emails detailing payments made via Paypal Facebook-turns out they were credits that DD had bought for the game.
I contacted FB who said it was down to Paypal as they had authorised payments.
My argument was this; how come,when I pay using PP,I have to log in and put a password in to authorise payment but when she was on FB she was able to do it without doing any of that?I've never used PP to play anything on FB so how was she able to do it?
PP basically said it was up to me to keep an eye on her while she was playing, but I thought PP was secure!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 01/03/2013 20:05

DD1 is 5 and has an iPad. In app purchases are switched off, the App store and iTunes apps are switched off and it requires a password to do anything else. The safari icon is hidden. She can watch tv and video and play her games to her heart's content but she cannot download anything even if she tried.

It's very simple to go into settings and look at your restrictions. People are not above going into settings to set up their email etc so it can't be beyond them. I don't have an ounce of sympathy. If you hand an iPad/iPhone to a small child without checking all this then you're an idiot who probably shouldn't have said item.

HollaAtMeBaby · 01/03/2013 20:10

YANBU. These parents are irresponsible morons and they should be ashamed of their stupidity, not parading it sadface-style in the Daily Mail! If you don't understand how ipads and apps work, you shouldn't have them, and you certainly shouldn't let your DCs play with them. I hate seeing children glued to screens anyway.

LtEveDallas · 01/03/2013 20:15

I had the same problem as EldonAve. In-app purchasing was switched off as soon as we got the iPad, but when I did the iOS upgrade it reset. My fault for not checking.

DD managed to rack up almost £250 of purchases buying Gems for the Pet Shop Story game at £69.99 for 720 gems . She didn't even want or need the gems - she wasn't far enough along in the game.

I didn't find out for 3 days, but when I realised Apple were bloody fantastic and agreed to a refund within a couple of hours and 3 emails. I LOVE Apple right about now, because if you look at their T&Cs they make it quite clear that all purchases are final.

I think the games makers are bastards of the higher order and they shouldn't be allowed to add these purchases to what are obviously kids games.

GreenLeafTea · 01/03/2013 20:32

I also have in-app purchases turned off but I just realized I updated the iOS too. I just checked and it seems on the latest update in-app purchases are switched off as default. The problem is your child doesn't have to know your password, if you input your password then they can make purchases for 15 minutes afterwards without needing a password. A friend of mine also got stung with her daughter laying a game on Facebook using her PayPal. She lost around 80 pounds.

marjproops · 01/03/2013 21:15

a 5 year old playing a zombie/dracula game????

a 5 year old being left alone to choose a game?????

a 5 year old that could have chosen a 'grand theft auto'/slasher type over 18's game and 'parents' didnt know????

(gets zimmer frame out now while hoiking up judgy pants)

PenelopePisstop · 01/03/2013 21:19

How do these people get on TV? stuff like this must happen all the time. I reckon they have some connection with someone in the media. Can't see BBC being interested in same thing happening to an unemployed single parent with 5 kids on a sink estate in Bradford.

getmeoutofthismadhouse · 01/03/2013 21:23

Who actually buys all these crazy priced things on purpose? I ddon't get why they are all soooo expensive ? I read somewhere it was £69 or something per purchase .... do people really pay this without it being an accident ? If they do ... they need to get a Life !!! Something needs to be done and extra passwords need to be added on everything to protect
Everyone !!

Poppet48 · 01/03/2013 21:26

I totally agree with you OP.

I do however think that games which charge £69.99 for something for there game should be removed as this is just ludicrous.

drjohnsonscat · 01/03/2013 21:28

I had no idea that you could turn off In app purchases until I read about it about a month ago. Or that if you do an upgrade it defaults back to permitting purchases. YABU to think that parents who don't know how this stuff works are automatically useless. It is an easy mistake to make because people are only just becoming familiar with apps and the concept of in app purchases. My mum who is 73 has an ipad because its easier for her to use. She could easily let my DCs play with it and I'm certain she has absolutely no idea what an in app purchase is or that it's possible, simply because she bought a 69p sums game for the DCs to play with, for them to rack up huge bills in minutes. Apple's treatment of this and other stories suggests they agree.

zipzap · 01/03/2013 21:41

This was on the money saving expert site again recently - it's one of the things they campaign against.

This is the most recent article about it and includes a handy guide for most major phone and tables about how to make sure that you reduce the likelihood of it happening to you by ensuring that you need to enter your password each time and how you do that on your phone.

LayMizzRarb · 01/03/2013 22:39

In the rare event that my neices/nephews play games on my iPad then I am looking over their shoulders every few minutes. I would not let them wander off with it, even for 20 minutes. My email account is linked to my iPad, and I don't want them inadvertantly opening any, or clicking links in junk mail.
There are adverts that pop up everywhere on the Internet, on google and on facebook. It would take seconds for them to go on an inappropriate site. If I have been entrusted with their well being, no way would I risk them being able to access anything unsuitable. It is MY responsibility entirely; not a tablet manufacturers.

Southeastdweller · 01/03/2013 22:46

My mind is boggling that the father game him their password and that they didn't check out the game beforehand. I'm surprised Apple refunded them in this case - they're not the ones to blame here.

If I was one of the couple I wouldn't have gone public because they look like damn idiots.

MammaTJ · 01/03/2013 22:48

My DC have a tablet each, rules are, no links to accounts. No risk at all!!

Mydelilah · 01/03/2013 22:53

I've posted this before, but why are £69 purchases of thin air acceptable in the first place, in games/apps that are clearly targeted at kids?? Yes parents need to implement all the safeguards but how is it ethical that these apps even exist?

Sallyingforth · 01/03/2013 22:59

How can anyone be stupid enough to say that "a free game shouldn't charge money". How does anyone develop and distribute a game for free?
The basic game is only 'free' in order to persuade you to buy the extras!

FreshLeticia · 01/03/2013 23:10

I cannot for the life of me understand why the hell you would give your child an internet-enabled gadget without going through all of the settings first?
it's the same with sites such as facebook. The first thing you do is check the settings for absolutely everything.

Our DD2 had an Ipod for Christmas and I passcode-protected the settings so that she could not access any in-app purchases, limit internet content to age 12 (i.e no porn) and disabled email. I linked it to my Itunes account, but I am in the process of trying to set up a separate email for her that I can police. It is possible, just fiddly.

juneybean · 01/03/2013 23:13

"I realised what happened and told Danny he'd better get ready for bed and run and hide before daddy got home."

That's fucking awful.

starkadder · 01/03/2013 23:14

My son nearly spent a few hundred quid on amazon a while ago - when he was only three! Didn't realise he could reach the laptop; came in and found him with it in the sitting room; he'd clicked on loads of Thomas the Tank Engine related stuff plus a really expensive camera and was just a couple of clicks away from "one click purchase".....so - be careful, people....

PureQuintessence · 01/03/2013 23:16

My sons nearly ordered pyrotechnics equipment for making their own fireworks from Germany through amazon. I have signed up to amazon prime, and let my account screen open.

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