The Antitrust welcomes the commitments of iTunes, Google, Amazon and Gameloft regarding a proceeding relating to possible unfair commercial practices. This was announced by the Competition and Market Authority itself, which, therefore, having received the requests submitted by the various network giants on the case in question, which concerned the diffusion of a video game intended for children and proposed in the form of an App for terminals mobile.
The proceeding, in fact, had been initiated to ascertain the possible dissemination of misleading information on the actual costs to be incurred for the complete use of Apps that appeared as free in the Stores, as well as to verify the possible presence of tools to avoid unwanted purchases by minors.
The parties involved (iTunes, Google, Amazon and Gameloft), during the proceeding, presented complex proposals for commitments pursuant to article 27, paragraph 7, of the Consumer Code, replacing terms such as "Gratis", "Free" with expressions that make it clear that even an App that can be downloaded for free may involve the need to make subsequent payments for full use.
Among the other measures adopted by the operators, there are some aimed at allowing consumers greater control over the payment instruments associated with the device, in order to avoid unwanted purchases. The commitments undertaken by iTunes, Google, Amazon and Gameloft extend to the territory of the entire European Union, a decisive factor for the decision of the AGCM which, in this way, offers superior guarantees to all consumers.
