MSE News: 'Immoral' games which tempt kids to spend cash face OFT probe

KathyTPinnage

matttye wrote: »

This website has named and shamed some itself so go ahead

OK, thanks for the clarification.

The game is 'Talking Ginger', by Outfit7. It's a cat that repeats the user's words back to them in a cat voice and allows them to earn jigsaw pieces by doing things like turning on a shower, drying its fur, spinning out toilet paper really fast - things like that. Clearly aimed at children. The child mode turns off some features thereby lulling the parent into a false sense of security.

Some might say i should buy the ad-free version but that doesn't address the issue here - free app or not, it shouldn't be possible for an app to run up bills from one click in a child mode. And you have to find out about the problem by chance before you know you need to buy the ad-free version.

Suffice it to say, my little boy doesn't get to play 'phone cat' while we try to have a tiny lie in next to him at 5am anymore... His attention span only gave us 10 min anyway but it was appreciated!

holistic49

I have just had a phone call from Holidaysafe as I had previously asked them to call me before I realised I could purchase policy easily myself without discussion. I told them I had already purchased a policy but I was annoyed that I had paid £1.75 for it to be posted to me when it was not necessary as I could print it out easily at no cost. I felt it was not good practice or good customer relations and they have refunded it to me!!:)

ellymoo

I must be way behind the times because I am more shocked that children get given such expensive gadgets in the first place than any of these game costs.

Tony5101

holistic49 wrote: »

I have just had a phone call from Holidaysafe as I had previously asked them to call me before I realised I could purchase policy easily myself without discussion. I told them I had already purchased a policy but I was annoyed that I had paid £1.75 for it to be posted to me when it was not necessary as I could print it out easily at no cost. I felt it was not good practice or good customer relations and they have refunded it to me!!:)

Not sure where you meant to post - but I'm assuming that this is not a bizarre game that you've been refunded for?!