Amazon is sued over kids’ in-app charge

FTC says the company has not done enough to stop kids making unauthorised purchases, writes Joe Kloc

The US Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday that it has filed a complaint against Amazon for allowing children to rack up in-app charges without properly informing parents.

In a press teleconference, Jessica Rich, the director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, alleged that, since 2011, the company has knowingly allowed these hidden charges to occur, despite internal emails acknowledging the payment system was “clearly causing problems for a large percentage of our customers.”