At National Online Safety, we provide multi-award-winning online safety education for the whole school community. It’s our mission to make the internet a safer place for children. We believe that when children go online to learn, communicate or play, they should be able to do so safely. That’s why we provide schools all over the world with the knowledge they need in order to tackle new and evolving online risks.
In-App Purchases
It may be free to download, but that doesn't necessarily mean an app or game won't ever cost you money. Our short video will help to level up your knowledge of in-app purchasing.
What are in-app purchases?
In-app purchases usually take the form of additional content or services bought within an app or game, often using real money but sometimes in exchange for in-game money. Some app developers encourage users to spend more money in a user-friendly way, but most do so aggressively, which many children and young people find difficult to ignore. Adults generally understand the value of money but children and young people often don’t, which can lead to small incremental payments soon adding up, especially when apps often use psychological tricks to make micropayments more tempting.
For more information on the associated risks and online safety tips for parents and carers, watch our explainer video, available to those with a National Online Safety membership.
