Google tightened up the process of in-app purchase

Google tightened up the process for making in-app purchases in apps downloaded from Google Play, following the filing of a class action related to children making unauthorised purchases.

The updated Play Store now requires a password to be entered every time an in-app purchase is made. Android Police spotted the feature – which can be turned on and off by parents — as part of the latest update to the portal.

One of the issues flagged by the class action filed against Google on behalf of parents last week is that once users have entered a password to make an in-app purchase, additional transactions can be carried out over the following 30 minutes without the need to re-enter the password.

The action asserted that this 30 minute window “is designed to enable children to purchase in-game currency without parental permission and without having to enter a password”.