Hasta La Gadget!

Back in February it was announced that Facebook had agreed to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion. Privacy advocates raised their voice against the deal and even called upon the FTC to look into the deal. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission today signed off on the sale, clearing the way for Facebook to absorb the most widely used cross platform messaging service in the world. Though the FTC warned both companies that they must continue to honor their privacy obligations.

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FTC Clears Facebook/WhatsApp Deal, Must Honor Privacy Obligations original content from Ubergizmo.

Google has been been criticized for having just the sort of lax in-app purchase policies in the Google Play store that Apple will pay out a hefty $32.5m to settle … Continue reading

Apple and the FTC have announced a settlement that parents who have been charged money for purchases made by children will appreciate. As a parent with a daughter that likes to play games on my iPhone, I know from experience how some of the apps don’t do a good job telling you what things cost real money in the games.

I really hate it when you see something in the game and it doesn’t say if it costs money or not and then when you click the item it pops up for your password. Once your password is entered, charges can be billed.

Some parents have reported thousands of dollars in charges to Apple that happen this way. The FTC settlement will see Apple pay at least $32.5 million to settle claims that it didn’t warn parents of potential charges.

The settlement will also see Apple changing its billing terms. The FTC took Apple to task over not warning parents that by entering their password to download an app, they were also opening a window that allowed in-app charges for 15 minutes.

“This settlement is a victory for consumers harmed by Apple’s unfair billing, and a signal to the business community: whether you’re doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “You cannot charge consumers for purchases they did not authorize.”

In-app purchases are a great way for developers to make money out of their apps, which only bring in money when they’re purchased. Some developers offer apps for free but limit functionality, requiring users to pay to unlock more features. Now adults might be able to pace themselves when it comes to in-app purchases, kids generally aren’t so responsible. Quite a few cases have been reported in the past when parents found out that their kids had racked up hundreds of dollars in credit card purchases while playing games. A complaint was filed against Apple for billing consumers even though parents hadn’t consented to those purchases. Cupertino has now settled with the FTC, it has agreed to modify its billing practices and to refund consumers by paying a minimum of $32.5 million.

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Apple Settles FTC Complaint, To Pay $32.5 Million In Refunds original content from Ubergizmo.

Patents, especially software patents, have become a major point of contention of late. Patent trolls are on the rise and the US government is, somewhat ambiguously, taking steps to lessen … Continue reading