A Californian mother is suing Facebook over the website making “millions of dollars” in unauthorized charges for Facebook credits, a scrip that can be used to buy items in freemium Facebook games. Some parents have found their children overspending on in-game add-ons.
Facebook allows teenagers as young as 13 to create accounts for games, however, those under 18 must get parental permission in order to buy Facebook credits. However, the lawsuit states that is in violation of Californian and Federal consumer protection laws.
The suit is seeking class action status on behalf of all parents and legal guardians in the United States who have had their children make unauthorized Facebook purchases. The Californian woman is claiming a personal loss of “several hundred dollars”. However, the suit alleges the damages for a class action suit would total more than $5M.