Electronic babysitters are expensive
During long summer days, it’s easy to get your kids ’attention with a tablet or smartphone, or electronic babysitter. However, without control and proper security settings, the little ones can spend hundreds of thousands of forints on virtual games in a short time.
AG DATA warns that it is commonplace for unsupervised children to spend more or less money from their parents ’credit cards on various virtual products, such as the purchase of toy accessories. Outstanding cases also occur, for example, on Christmas 2015, a child spent nearly 1,6 million forints on various dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park game. After contacting the press, Apple reimbursed the parents for the damage in this case - although it would not have been obliged.
The business model is well known: the game itself is free to download, called a freemium. However, if you want to buy another character or move faster in the gameplay, you have to reach into your pocket. And sometimes deep enough.
According to a 2016 German survey, a quarter of children aged 6-13 play on a smartphone daily or almost daily, and 29 percent several times a week. This is a compelling enough reason for parents to take a closer look at what application and how their children play.
When you buy from Google Play or the Apple App Store, or just download a free game, you will also need to provide a valid credit card information. Learning from previous cases, Apple’s App Store is set up by default to always ask for a password for purchases and in-app purchases. However, this can be facilitated irresponsibly by setting the store not to ask for the password again for 15 minutes after entering it.
If the device does not ask for the password, but has already stored the credit card information, the child can easily purchase additional games or game accessories without being aware of the consequences.
How can we defend ourselves?
Let’s talk to our child and keep track of what games they like and play. Feel free to sit down and play a turn together so that not only do you get to know the game, but it also provides a basis to start a conversation.
Let’s take a look at the basic settings of online stores and make it mandatory that every purchase can only be made after entering a password - and keep the password to yourself. If you already have an older child who has their own device, discuss the issue of online shopping with them. If possible, when registering your child's device, we will provide the details of an almost blank credit card - the system will not check if there is money behind the card. If your kid wants to spend their pocket money on virtual games, buy them a Google Play or Apple App Store gift card - so we can be sure you’re only spending the amount at your disposal.
AG DATA draws attention to the fact that it is helpful to install a safety application on phones and tablets used by children. This is also required for virus protection on the Android operating system, but you can also set how long your child can use the phone, and you can set a password to open certain apps, such as a store or games. Not only the purchases, but the safety of the child is also enhanced by the panic button found in the protection software. When pressed, the phone sends a predefined text to the set phone numbers in addition to the current GPS coordinates.
