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| iPhone app 'could have landed parents with £200 bill' | iPhone app 'could have landed parents with £200 bill' |
| (7 months later) | |
| Parents are being urged to be vigilant with their iPhones and iPad, following warnings by parenting groups about "immoral" in-app advertisements that could see children unwittingly spending hundreds of pounds. | Parents are being urged to be vigilant with their iPhones and iPad, following warnings by parenting groups about "immoral" in-app advertisements that could see children unwittingly spending hundreds of pounds. |
| The adverts are another controversy for developers, who have previously been criticised for including expensive in-app purchases within popular children's apps. | The adverts are another controversy for developers, who have previously been criticised for including expensive in-app purchases within popular children's apps. |
| The latest warning followed the launch of an iPhone app that could have resulted in children signing up to a £208 a year subscription service. | The latest warning followed the launch of an iPhone app that could have resulted in children signing up to a £208 a year subscription service. |
| The Talking Friends Cartoons app, available on iPhone, iPad and Android devices, is based on the Talking Friends apps from developer Outfit7, including Talking Tom Cat and Talking Lila the Fairy. It allows users to learn more about their favourite characters, download wallpapers for their phones as well as watch short cartoons co-produced with Disney. | The Talking Friends Cartoons app, available on iPhone, iPad and Android devices, is based on the Talking Friends apps from developer Outfit7, including Talking Tom Cat and Talking Lila the Fairy. It allows users to learn more about their favourite characters, download wallpapers for their phones as well as watch short cartoons co-produced with Disney. |
| The app itself is free, but at the bottom of every screen is an banner that, when the app was first launched, carried an advert directing users to a quiz to win a 64GB iPad, promoted by a company called Yamoja. | The app itself is free, but at the bottom of every screen is an banner that, when the app was first launched, carried an advert directing users to a quiz to win a 64GB iPad, promoted by a company called Yamoja. |
| To take part in the competition, users had to sign up to a subscription service costing £4 a week, for which they received four weekly texts containing content such as "funtones, wallpapers, games, celeb news & more". | To take part in the competition, users had to sign up to a subscription service costing £4 a week, for which they received four weekly texts containing content such as "funtones, wallpapers, games, celeb news & more". |
| App commentator Stuart Dredge, who wrote about the adverts on his Apps Playground blog, said: "What an advert that tries to sign you up to a £4-a-week mobile content subscription was doing inside this app is genuinely beyond me." | App commentator Stuart Dredge, who wrote about the adverts on his Apps Playground blog, said: "What an advert that tries to sign you up to a £4-a-week mobile content subscription was doing inside this app is genuinely beyond me." |
| The advert has been pulled from the app, but another new launch, this time from National Geographic, includes an costly in-app extra. | The advert has been pulled from the app, but another new launch, this time from National Geographic, includes an costly in-app extra. |
| Dino Land app – released in mid-February 2013 – has attracted controversy for allowing users to buy extra virtual "bones" in amounts up to £69.99. The bones, used to speed up gameplay, are particularly enticing to impatient children who wish to complete the game quicker. | Dino Land app – released in mid-February 2013 – has attracted controversy for allowing users to buy extra virtual "bones" in amounts up to £69.99. The bones, used to speed up gameplay, are particularly enticing to impatient children who wish to complete the game quicker. |
| Dino Land follows a succession of apps aimed at children that feature expensive in-app purchases, including Playmobil Pirates, Coin Dozer and Racing Penguin. Parenting websites are reporting increasing instances of parents being charged £500 or more after their children have made in-app purchases while playing games – and advise parents to ensure their devices block the purchases. | Dino Land follows a succession of apps aimed at children that feature expensive in-app purchases, including Playmobil Pirates, Coin Dozer and Racing Penguin. Parenting websites are reporting increasing instances of parents being charged £500 or more after their children have made in-app purchases while playing games – and advise parents to ensure their devices block the purchases. |
| Justine Roberts, Mumsnet co-founder and CEO, said: "App-developers need to build in greater controls from the start – it's shocking that a few click-throughs from an advert can lead to a £200 cost for unknowing parents, and it shows just how important it is to keep an eye on your child's device settings." | Justine Roberts, Mumsnet co-founder and CEO, said: "App-developers need to build in greater controls from the start – it's shocking that a few click-throughs from an advert can lead to a £200 cost for unknowing parents, and it shows just how important it is to keep an eye on your child's device settings." |
| Siobhan Freegard, founder of parenting site Netmums, added: "Few people mind a couple of targeted ads which are relevant to the app service, as they realise it's the price to pay for the 'free' app. But bombarding children using free apps with expensive products and services they can unwittingly sign up to a couple of clicks is immoral." | Siobhan Freegard, founder of parenting site Netmums, added: "Few people mind a couple of targeted ads which are relevant to the app service, as they realise it's the price to pay for the 'free' app. But bombarding children using free apps with expensive products and services they can unwittingly sign up to a couple of clicks is immoral." |
| Developers regularly offer apps for free, making their money from advertising or from users making "in-app purchases" (IAPs). These buy paid-for perks that often improve a game or offer the chance to play without adverts, but are controversial in apps aimed at children and can cost parents money if the purchase itself is not password protected. | Developers regularly offer apps for free, making their money from advertising or from users making "in-app purchases" (IAPs). These buy paid-for perks that often improve a game or offer the chance to play without adverts, but are controversial in apps aimed at children and can cost parents money if the purchase itself is not password protected. |
| When developers create a game they often contract out the advertising within it to a specialist, which can serve adverts from hundreds of different organisations. | When developers create a game they often contract out the advertising within it to a specialist, which can serve adverts from hundreds of different organisations. |
| The adverts in the Talking Friends Cartoons app are served by Google, which allows app developers and publishers to have control over the advertising content on their apps. | The adverts in the Talking Friends Cartoons app are served by Google, which allows app developers and publishers to have control over the advertising content on their apps. |
| Samo Login, CEO of Outfit7, said his company pulled the adverts from the app as soon as it was alerted. He explained: "We have a strict policy in place regarding what advertisements are displayed within our apps and take this issue very seriously. Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch within one of our ad networks, this advert was displayed against our advertising policy." | Samo Login, CEO of Outfit7, said his company pulled the adverts from the app as soon as it was alerted. He explained: "We have a strict policy in place regarding what advertisements are displayed within our apps and take this issue very seriously. Unfortunately, due to a technical glitch within one of our ad networks, this advert was displayed against our advertising policy." |
| Outfit7 attracted controversy when it emerged in October 2012 that its Talking Ginger app featured adverts from payday loans company Wonga. Wonga later pulled its adverts from the app. | Outfit7 attracted controversy when it emerged in October 2012 that its Talking Ginger app featured adverts from payday loans company Wonga. Wonga later pulled its adverts from the app. |
| The Talking Friends series of apps have been downloaded more than 600 million times, with 120 million people a month and 10 million people a day actively using them. | The Talking Friends series of apps have been downloaded more than 600 million times, with 120 million people a month and 10 million people a day actively using them. |
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