Boy runs up enormous iTune bill in minutes

[theyarecomingforyou]

What part of Zombies vs Aliens is "harmless" to a young child of just 5 years old? The game has an age rating of 9+ years old for a reason!!!

The age limit is to prevent children under the specified age from acquiring the game themselves - it is perfectly legal for parents to decide to allow their child to play such a game.

Again, irresponsible parents, using a computer to babysit their child then blaming someone else (Apple) for their balls up.

Parents can't be expected to monitor their children every moment of every day. The parents here acted in a reasonable manner.

[MightyJordan]

The age limit is to prevent children under the specified age from acquiring the game themselves - it is perfectly legal for parents to decide to allow their child to play such a game.

And that right there is the problem: the parents. The age ratings are guidelines to determine which games are suitable for certain age groups, so common sense dictates that you don't allow your 5 year old kid to play a game officially classed not suitable for children under 9.

I know, you can't enforce content ratings in people's homes, but they really need to be taken more seriously.

[theyarecomingforyou]

And that right there is the problem: the parents. The age ratings are guidelines to determine which games are suitable for certain age groups, so common sense dictates that you don't allow your 5 year old kid to play a game officially classed not suitable for children under 9.

I know, you can't enforce content ratings in people's homes, but they really need to be taken more seriously.

And that completely ignores the immoral business practices being perpetrated by app developers and the issues with in-app purchases and games targeted at children. The point I was making was larger than this one case.

[game_over]

This is very common and personally i think it should stop.

Someone on my Facebook posted a message earlier today: 'my little boy has just downloaded ?40 worth of apps who do i contact in Apple to get my money back?'

Then there were lots of replies people posting how it's happened to them n how they got their money back as if it was nothing... it happened to my sister and you know what she done? took the loss and learnt a valuable, expensive lesson!.. if people can get their money back at the click of a button they are never going to learn.

[jakem1]

I wouldn't be able to sit down on my @ss for a year if I had of done something like that as a kid.

And yeah, I totally agree with others saying parents need to pay more attention to what their kids are doing and stop letting them play with things they shouldn't be touching.

This is some great logic. You think the parent is to blame but also think that they are then justified to punish the kids by assaulting them.

[jakem1]

I'm more alarmed that a five year old was on an iPad. I was raised in the 90s and I did not touch a video game until I was in the 6th grade... Why, because of technological advances, do parents feel the need to neglect important aspects of childhood--such as playing outside and getting dirty, or writing/reading/drawing? I remember a study done that indicates parents who do not let their children use their imagination tend to be unable to creatively express themselves later on (that's probably a big "DOH!"). Now that I'm older I'm saddened I didn't play outside more, or read more, or draw more (despite me doing it all the time as a kid)! The drudgery of everyday life, especially the almighty computer in the modern world, make me cherish the moments I was really free of them.

Why assume that the child isn't doing all the things you mentioned IN ADDITION to playing on the iPad? Do you let the tabloids form all your opinions?

[moloko]

And that right there is the problem: the parents. The age ratings are guidelines to determine which games are suitable for certain age groups, so common sense dictates that you don't allow your 5 year old kid to play a game officially classed not suitable for children under 9.

I know, you can't enforce content ratings in people's homes, but they really need to be taken more seriously.

And it is up to the parents to decide if that content is ok for THEIR kids. My son knows that video games are fake so its ok. but i cannot let him watch certain tv shows becuase he gets to emotional if someone/ something is hurt.

I allow my kids to play on their tablets after cleaning up, dinner, homework. and it only for a short time. They put it away and will do somethign else then. It is not a nipple for them, its just another toy. Right now it too cold to go out side to play so they play inside.

The problem here is the parents were not smart enough to LOCK down the tablet since the kids use it. Lesson learned for them.

This is very common and personally i think it should stop.

Someone on my Facebook posted a message earlier today: 'my little boy has just downloaded ?40 worth of apps who do i contact in Apple to get my money back?'

Then there were lots of replies people posting how it's happened to them n how they got their money back as if it was nothing... it happened to my sister and you know what she done? took the loss and learnt a valuable, expensive lesson!.. if people can get their money back at the click of a button they are never going to learn.

I think the parents should suck it up to a lesson learned. I bet they will lock it down.!!

[Veiva]

Why assume that the child isn't doing all the things you mentioned IN ADDITION to playing on the iPad? Do you let the tabloids form all your opinions?

Why must you be so quick to make snippy remarks? I don't read tabloids, only commenting on this article. Learn to show a little bit of respect, please. Sadly, knowing the state of this forum, I should just keep my opinions to myself...

But yea, considering most teens have cell phones (heck, even pre-teens), etc, etc, the world is so much better because of a dependence on technology, bla bla bla. I'm not saying technology is bad. It's wonderful. But there's a problem with depending on it so much that you can't function without it.

Again, I reiterate, I had never touched a video game until I was well into the 5th grade. I was only allowed to use a computer at first for educational purposes. Etc. Etc. Regardless of how knowledgeable you are on parenting (frankly, I don't care), I believe it was in my, and my siblings, best interest that this was the case.

[Nogib]

An iPad is not a toy for a 5 year-old. Stupid parents like this should never have been allowed to breed in the first place. The last thing the world needs is more misinformed iCult zombies.

[Mr. Gibs]

And that right there is the problem: the parents. The age ratings are guidelines to determine which games are suitable for certain age groups, so common sense dictates that you don't allow your 5 year old kid to play a game officially classed not suitable for children under 9.

I know, you can't enforce content ratings in people's homes, but they really need to be taken more seriously.

What does the age rating have to do with anything? I'm assuming you played no fps games till you were like 17 yeah? Most of them have content ratings for 16/17 year olds.

And you probably didn't watch porn till you were 18/21 too right? Why expect others to follow age ratings when you probably didn't?