A website dedicated to administering a class action settlement from Apple for in-app purchases has been launched. People who consider themselves victims of their inability to prevent their children from having access to their iTunes account credentials can use the site to claim iTunes gift cards or cash, depending on the size of their claim.
The lawsuit was launched in 2011 by parents outraged that their children had used their iTunes account passwords to ring up large bills in-app purchases. Apple had removed a 15-minute window during which purchases could be made after downloading an app in iOS 4.3, but the lawsuit accused the company of continuing negligence by allowing purchases to be made with the same credentials.
Apple also added controls that allowed parents to set up a monthly budget (or lack thereof) for making in-app purchases.
A judge allowed the case to proceed in April of 2012, and Apple settled the case in February of 2013. The settlement could cost Apple US$100 million, and allows victims to claim between $5 and $30 in an iTunes Gift Card. Users with larger claims or who no longer have iTunes accounts can get a cash refund for the amount of their claim.
While the settlement was announced in April, the website administering the settlement was launched on Monday. The terms of the settlement specify that claims must be filed by January 13th, 2014.
There are forms to fill out and a process to check if you downloaded any of the "Qualifying Apps." Claims are limited to a single 45-day period, and claimants must swear "under penalty of perjury" that their children made the purchases without permission.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.