Liability or not?: Caution, expensive? Who is liable for in-app purchases made by children?
Sudden large deductions due to children's mobile phone games? Consumer protectionists explain why parents often don't have to pay - and when app providers bear the risk.
In recent times, instances have surfaced where children are playing on smartphones or tablets and prompted to make in-app purchases within a game. Often, girls and boys simply agree without much thought. This can result in parents receiving unexpected debits, sometimes exceeding a thousand euros, even though they never authorized an in-app purchase.
The question then arises: should parents be held liable for these charges? The Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg (Consumer Center Hamburg) suggests that generally, parents are not obligated to pay. Children and teenagers are deemed not capable or only partially capable of conducting a contract. Thus, a valid contractual agreement requires prior consent or subsequent approval from their legal representatives, i.e., their parents.
If in-app purchases were not approved by the guardians, according to the consumer protection organization, "there is usually no liability for payment at first." This risk falls on the app providers, especially if their offerings are specifically targeted at minors. Parents should regularly review payment methods and restrictions.
In cases of unauthorized purchases, especially by minors, it is crucial to act swiftly and contact the respective app store or provider.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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