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EU calls on industry to tighten rules on in-app purchases
2014-02-27 16:13:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) The European Commission has asked the mobile industry to come up with ways to reduce the risk of children over-spending on mobile apps and in-app content, following complaints from around the EU. On 27-28 February, the EC is meeting with national regulators and industry representatives to discuss the consumer concerns. These include misleading advertising of "free" games and content, direct marketing to children or their parents to buy items within a game and poor information on the charges and billing of mobile content. The EC would like to see the industry self-regulate its marketing, stop default billing of all mobile purchases, improve the information provided on costs and payment and always provide an email address where consumers can address complaints or requests for more information. The initiative is led by the Danish Consumer Ombudsman, and regulators from France, the UK, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Lithuania as well as the Consumer Protection Cooperation network are participating in the meetings. The EC noted that principles published by the UK Office of Fair Trading earlier this year are in line with its aims.
Tags: industry
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Category:Telecommunications