Amazon Will Begin Refunds For In-App Purchases Made By Kids

Amazon customers whose children made in-app purchases without their consent will soon be able to apply for refunds, the Federal Trade Commission said.

Customers who may be eligible for refunds will be directly notified by Amazon. According to the FTC, customers who had in-app purchases added to their Amazon accounts between November 2011 and May 2016 will receive an email from Amazon. If the purchases were made by a child without permission, customers can apply for a refund.

Amazon will review the requests and may contact customers for additional information if necessary.

In April 2016, a federal judge granted the FTC's request for summary judgement in its lawsuit brought against Amazon in which the agency said in-app purchases incurred by children "without having obtained the account holders' express informed consent" were unlawful.

The Atlantic reported last month that Amazon agreed to end its efforts to appeal the ruling and refund customers more than $70 million of in-app purchases made by children.

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