Apple Should Countersue the Parents

Apple is not perfect.  Their most recent update to the Maps app on the iPhone is so messed up that people are getting lost.  Lost, using a map.  It's as if they were using the first iterations of MapQuest!  Remember those days?  A person could get lost because the map wasn't exactly accurate.  Sometimes the roads weren't even complete in some areas.

Knowing how imperfect Apple is, I go back to an article that I read a few weeks ago.  Here's the link:

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As you'll note, I like this writer from CNET.  He's very funny.  His take on this story is about the same as mine.

If you don't want to read the article, know this:  a judge is allowing a lawsuit to continue in which parents are suing Apple because their child managed to make several in-app purchases without any sort of password or code required.  This angered the parents to no end because they ended up with a large credit card bill.

Here's my question:  why are they not paying attention to their child when their child is using their iPhone?

Yes, I understand the concept that the iPhone or iTouch becomes a great babysitter where a child can play games or watch a movie or whatever.  But don't you think that it's the parent's responsibility to teach the child exactly what is right and not right to do with such a powerful device?  Yes.  But it also the parent's responsibility to not allow their children to know the password to their iTunes account so that they cannot make in-app purchases.  And shouldn't the parent know exactly what their son or daughter is purchasing anyway, regardless of if they are or not?

I think the lawsuit is ridiculous and because of it, Apple has gone and added a secondary password in order to make some in-app purchases.  So because some parents weren't willing to police their children and teach them responsibility, I now have to remember two passwords in order to make an in-app purchase.  I suppose it's a good thing I haven't done that yet.  It's hard enough just to make a purchase through the iTunes Store. 

Bottom line:  If you have an iPhone or iTouch that your child plays with, make sure that you pay attention to them when they do so.  If they want to make a purchase, figure out what it is and how much it's going to cost.  If possible, maybe negotiate taking some money from their allowance to pay for it or give them money in exchange for doing their chores.  Just a few thoughts.

And just like that, I have kept the streak alive.  Well, it is only the third day of the month.



Until tomorrow.