Free online games pressuring children to make purchases

With a rise in the number of smartphones and tablets being used, free online games have become increasingly popular for children. However a new report has found some of these games have been pressuring children into buying extra features through in-app purchases.

 

Many of these games come with the option of buying additional content and a new study by the Office of Fair Trading in Britain has found these games are exploiting “children’s inexperience, vulnerability and credulity”.

 

Certain games were found to imply children would let other players down if they didn’t make the purchase.

 

Parents are being warned to log out immediately after downloading a game, otherwise children can buy the extra features without parental consent.