Skip to main content

Kanye hates in-app purchases just as much as the rest of us

kanye west drake collaborative album kanyewest
Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
If you’re developing a mobile game for kids that repeatedly nags for in-app purchases, you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself — at least according to Kanye West, who has tweeted his disapproval after two year-old daughter North was pestered by one such app. It’s not clear which app he’s talking about, but it’s presumably not his wife’s own Kim Kardashian: Hollywood (offering in-app purchases from $1.99-39.99).

“We give the iPad to our child and every 5 minutes there’s a new purchase!!!” lamented Kanye, who has some 15 million followers on Twitter. “If a game is made for a two year-old, just allow them to have fun and give the parents a break.” Whether or not daughter North actually went through with any of the purchases isn’t clear.

Recommended Videos
Please enable Javascript to view this content

Consider yourselves warned, app developers, though it’s not actually that difficult to disable in-app purchases (or at least password-protect them) if you’re passing your mobile devices over to your kids. On Android, tap “Require authentication for purchases” in the Settings section of the Play Store app; on iOS, go to Settings, then “General” and tap on “Restrictions” to disable the in-app purchases feature.

Still, that doesn’t stop games and apps from putting up prompts for in-app purchases once you reach a certain level — and that can lead to a lot of upset for kids who want to make as much progress as they can. The best course of action is to check out app reviews and descriptions so you know what you’re letting yourself (and your children) in for.

Music star Kanye West and wife Kim Kardashian are expecting their second child in December. He’s also announced his intentions to run for president in 2020, an ambition President Barack Obama responded to this weekend at a fundraiser headlined by the rapper and producer.

[Image courtesy of Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com]

David Nield
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
Epic v. Apple case shows just how much of the App Store’s money comes from games
App store icon showing three notifications.

Over the course of the Epic v. Apple case, much has come to light about how both companies generate profit. One of the biggest shocks comes from the closing ruling of the case, which reveals that 70% of the App Store's money comes from games.

This lawsuit was brought by Epic Games in August 2020. The general gist of the case is that Epic added a payment system to Fortnite mobile that allowed players to avoid an extra 30% fee usually applied to App Store purchases, which goes to Apple. In response to the workaround, Apple removed Fortnite from its marketplace, which prompted Epic to take the matter to court.

Read more
What is Citizen? The safety app explained
Atlanta Protest Held In Response To Police Custody Death Of Minneapolis Man George Floyd

With so much going on in the news lately, more of us than ever before want to get the real story on what's happening in our cities, while ensuring we stay safe. News apps are great, but when it comes to staying safe and informed, we need something more immediate. Step up Citizen, an app that's designed to provide you with real-time safety alerts and instant access to verified 911 information, keeping you and your loved ones situationally aware and safe. With more than 234,000 downloads since May 25, 2020, and over 7 million users, Citizen's popularity is growing, with many people using it to check police presence and ensure safety at protests and demonstrations in their city.

If you've found yourself wondering, "What is the Citizen app?" or are curious about what it can do and how to use it, read through our guide as we take a look at some of the app's most useful features and show you how to get started.
What is the Citizen app?

Read more
Fight temptation and protect your Android against in-app purchases
HTC One A9

The temptation to spend a few dollars within your favorite Android apps is always there -- especially if you’re an avid gamer -- but that small amount can rapidly snowball into a large sum of money if you’re not careful. Conversely, you might not be tempted, but if someone else often uses your Android phone or tablet, then it may also be wise to secure it from accidental (or purposeful) purchases that could come back to bite you in the wallet.

Luckily, it’s easy to protect yourself against this on Android devices. We put together a quick guide to help you better fend off the hungry in-app purchase beast lurking in many, many apps.
Use a password
Google has a couple of ways to ensure that your device is protected against unintended purchases, but the most common across all Android devices is to use a password. Here's how:

Read more