Apple · Apple Terms and Conditions

In-App Purchases and Parental Controls for Minors

High severity
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What it is

If you are under 18, you may use the Services only with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian. Apple is not responsible for any purchases made by minors without parental authorization. Parents or legal guardians who permit minors to use the Services are responsible for any transactions made by those minors.

Why it matters

In-app purchases in apps and games can accumulate quickly and are charged to the payment method on the Apple ID — parents are fully liable for these charges and must proactively enable restrictions to prevent them.

Consumer impact

Apple's Terms of Service govern every digital purchase and subscription across the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, and Apple TV+, meaning the agreement affects virtually all Apple device users in the US. Consumers should be aware that all digital purchases are licenses rather than permanent ownership, auto-renewing subscriptions can have their pricing changed with 30 days' notice, and the mandatory arbitration clause prevents users from participating in class action lawsuits against Apple. You can manage your subscriptions and cancel auto-renewals through Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions on any Apple device before your next billing date.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Dispute a Fee
    Within 90 days
    Visit reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Find the in-app purchase charge you wish to dispute, select 'Report a Problem,' choose the appropriate reason (e.g., 'My child made purchases without my permission'), and submit your refund request.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces COPPA and has direct enforcement precedent against Apple specifically for unauthorized in-app purchases by children (2014 settlement for $32.5M), making it the primary enforcement authority for this provision.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple Terms and Conditions
Entity
Apple
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001953
Document ID
CA-D-00023
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
c538650b40c254ea487d92eac015e5f5be3ef9134dc8501df3adb67ed969fd92
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Apple | Document: Apple Terms and Conditions | Record: CA-P-001953
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:18:26 UTC | SHA-256: c538650b40c254ea…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple/apple-terms-and-conditions/in-app-purchases-and-parental-controls-for-minors/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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