Eight-Year-Old Girl Blows $1400 on Smurfberries

[Formica Archonis]

One can debate back and forth who (if anyone) should be blamed for this kind of thing happening, but fact remains, games with micro transactions aimed at young kids is a really dirty trick, regardless of whether or not things go as far as they did in this case.

Though IMHO it stops being a micro transaction when it costs more per unit than some solid state hard drives.

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

Hmm, I'm torn on who to blame. The first thing that came to my mind, though, is that I would never let an eight year old touch my ipad. It's expensive - do not touch!

 

[Zayren]

You're questioning $99 for a wagon of smurfberries???

My friend, that is an outright THEFT for that much smurfberries.

 

[Kingsnake661]

One can debate back and forth who (if anyone) should be blamed for this kind of thing happening, but fact remains, games with micro transactions aimed at young kids is a really dirty trick, regardless of whether or not things go as far as they did in this case.

Though IMHO it stops being a micro transaction when it costs more per unit than some solid state hard drives.

No doubt. 99 bucks isn't any *micro* transaction for me. LOL

 

[wfpdk]

this is why i pay for everything in cash.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

On second thought maybe you shouldn't buy that eBook...

Especially since it contributed to the rise in SIDS...

Personally, I'd just like the app to switch itself off every 10 minutes unless the parent was within visual range.

Or just...not let a 4 year old child play with a complex toy that can transmit credit information?

 

[BabyRaptor]

"I thought the app preyed on children," Kay said. "Note that the Smurf app states it is for ages 4-plus."

Yeah...That law that says games have to have an age limit on them is TOTALLY there to turn your kids into victims. Take responsibility for your damn kids, people...It's not anyones' fault but your own when they spend your money!

 

[archvile93]

"I thought the app preyed on children," Kay said.

And yet she still allowed her child to play the game completely unsupervised without bothering to utilize the system's fail safes. Yeah, she gets no sympathy from me. It's just one more parent teaching kids they shouldn't be held accountable for their actions or inactions through the process known as example.

When you buy a game made for 4 year olds and don't enter your credit card into it, it's pretty safe to assume it won't let your four year old rack up over a thousand dollars in charges.

This isn't like the Xbox lady who ENTERED HER CREDIT CARD and then didn't check her statements for 18 months, this is someone who didn't give the game a credit card, and the game is made for people around the age of Kindergarten.

At some point it's no longer the parents fault, there was NOTHING that would lead her to believe anything like this could have happened, she can't be watching the kid 24/7

True, but would it have really been so hard not to tell her children what her password was? I don't go around telling people what the password to my email or bank account is.

Aren't Iphones and Ipads bound to an account? Meaning they are basically always logged in?

I don't think she needed a password at time of purchase.

If I recall, one of the security measures is that you are required to input an account password in order to purchase things, at least you can set it up that way if you choose to do so. The article also seems to suggest you do, though perhaps I'm misreading it.

 

[Elementlmage]

This is bullshit, I think it should be a law that you should have to enter the last four digits of your credit card for verification into a game before it lets you buy things if that game is marketed to children

Considering the fact that the bill came from email, the mother NEVER gave the game itself her card, and it is made for 5 year olds means this was not the mothers fault but the game's

The fact that it charges $99 FUCKING DOLLARS for "smurfberries" lead me to believe that the game was created solely to make things like this happen, I agree with her when she says it preys on children.

Actually, SOE does this with their F2P games(just about the only thing they do right). In order to make a purchase in-game, you have to know the cards security code. Regardless, I was still a little off-put by the fact the PotBS still remembered my CC info 3 years after I had stopped playing the game! :S

 

[mooncalf]

Well done apple for the refund... But $99 isn't exactly what you'd call a "micropayment", is it...? Pretty sure the *only* way that purchase could have happened is by accident....

 

[Elementlmage]

Especially since it contributed to the rise in SIDS...

Do you have anything to substantiate that claim?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Especially since it contributed to the rise in SIDS...

Do you have anything to substantiate that claim?

Yes, or I wouldn't have posted it. Spock stated that children shouldn't be placed on their back while sleeping as they might choke on their own vomit.
Unfortunately, sleeping on their front significantly increases the risk of SIDS happening. Had this advice been ignored, they estimate 50,000 deaths could have been averted.

http://www.websters-online-dictionary.net/definitions/Benjamin%20Spock?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744%3Av0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=Benjamin%20Spock&sa=Search#858

In no way am I saying he is responsible for the deaths, but he was the expert telling people to do this, and the public believed him.

 

[Tim Latshaw]

So first Capcom Mobile gets caught ripping 'Splosion Man off, then it's discovered charging $99 for items in kids games? They're not looking so hot in terms of ethics lately.

 

[icyneesan]

$1400 O___O

Thats smurfin' huge!!

 

[Alorxico]

This is just smurfed up. I agree compleltely, what the smurf these smurphing parents thinking giving that kind of monetary access to their children?

Free App = All downloadable things in the App must be free.

Uh ... no. Free App means that the Application, the program, you are downloading is free. It does not mean everything related to the program is free, just the program. There are a lot of online games, mostly RPGs, where CORE game is free but elements of the game (weapons, armour, potions, alchemy supplies, mounts, etc.) cost money. A more "productive" example would be various design, animation and art programs where the core program is free, but certain effects, tools and functions of the program must be bought.

This isn't anything new; software companies have been doing this for YEARS! What do you think Demo Downloads or Trial Versions are? They are dumbed-down, highly edited versions of what you will later have to pay to use.

Yes, the difference between productivity programs, like an art program or word processor, is once you have brought it you don't have to keep paying to use the "change font" option; but for a company that releases its main product, that is usually what costs the most to make, for free they make their money off of the small downloads.

The problem here isn't that the company mislead or tricked the child into buying the berries, it's the Mother giving the iTunes password to her older daughter, who then helped the younger daughter buy the berries. When I a kid and wanted to buy something on-line, I had to ask on or my parents, who would then look the site and purchase over, and if they said 'yes' then they made the purchase!

But the real question here is WHY! Why didn't the mother make the purchase? Why didn't she EXPLAIN to her daughter what was happening? People say "Oh, kids don't understand." Yes, they do! They may not understand abstracts if they are REALLY little, but they understand the concept of giving something to get something. Just sit the kid down and say "Ted has a blue ball that John wants. Ted will not give John the blue ball unless John gives him a red truck. Once John has given Ted the red truck, John will get the blue ball. That is sort of what is going on here, I'm giving these people something over the internet for these berries."

 

[Naterkix]

...And the Most Negligent Part of the Year Award goes to...

Anyway...
The Smurfberries are probably the game's "special currency" (a lot of the free to play but extra stuff costs real money have something similar) that you use to buy special items and stuff. Usually they have different packages that give more of the special money for larger sums of real money, the tradeoff being you start to save money with larger packages. An 8 year old probably just wanted a bunch of "cool" Smurf crap in-game, since all the really cool stuff in these games cost real money. That's how they getcha!

 

[thephill]

in my opinion any in-app purchace in a game aimed at young children (which this clearly is) should have a limit to how much can be spent in a day. that way even if tis does happen again its only for $10 not $1400.
also the company should be forced to remove in app purchaces of $99. $9.99 limit should be implemented on a child focused game.

EDIT
also i could probibly buy a wagon full of real berrries for £100

 

[Jamieson 90]

In most of these cases I would say the parents need to pay more attention but the game is suitable for 4 year olds.

The game does not require a parent to enter a credit card or payment details and they sent her a bill. You can't do that in a game designed for kids, thats totally out of order on all levels. Not to mention the price they are charging for in game items $99 what???? Thats absolutely crazy.