Office of Fair Trading (OFT), UK issued a warning yesterday that mobile game and app development companies and developers have two months to get their in-app purchase tactics in order.
The OFT published its final principles for online and in-app games and has extended a deadline of April 1, 2014 to all mobile game and app developers to ensure that they do not breach consumer protection laws in the UK.
As published in the latest principles, OFT wants developers and companies to inform customers upfront about the costs that are involved with a game; in-game advertising; and any other information such as data sharing with third parties for marketing and advertising purpose.
“The principles also make clear that in-game payments are not authorised, and should not be taken, unless the payment account holder, such as a parent, has given his or her express, informed consent”, notes OFT in a press release.
“Failure to comply with the principles could risk enforcement action”, OFT added.
OFT had to meddle into the in-app issue after parents reported of heavy mobile bills incurred due to kids spending awful lot of money on in-app purchases through such luring tactics adopted by game developer and game producing companies. Most of the free to play games indulge in such activities and some of these games offer in-game downloads and features that may cost as much as £70 e.g. Rovio’s recent title.
OFT believes that such tactics and developers and companies are posing ‘unfair pressure’ on parents and kids into buying things while playing a game, which was initially thought of as free.
OFT doesn’t want to ban in-app purchases, but it only wants developers to ensure that such unfair practices should be alleviated and customers should be told upfront as to what all costs are involved so that kids are protected.
Industry leaders have tried different methods to circumvent these practices on their own. Google for example states in its developer policies that such unfair practices are a big no no, while Apple recommends parents to keep tabs on activities of their kids by limiting their access to Apple App Store.
