Google and Apple were investigated for 'smoking money' via a free app

The release of free apps by Apple and Google, but selling wasted content on the application market has been officially "touched".

Candy Crush's success and a host of other mobile games have proven one thing: selling content ( items, "networks", special capabilities ) in free applications that are business models. Best for application developers. However, the model of selling content inside applications (in-app purchase) can also cause great damage to users, especially parents for children using mobile devices.

According to BGR, the Italian Antitrust Authority has decided to open an investigation into applications that allow the sale of paid-for content to clarify " whether this behavior is considered an unfair commercial act: consumers may misunderstand that the game is completely free, and in any case, that they can anticipate the cost of gaming . "

The Italian press release on the new investigation also said that " consumers must not provide enough information to stop or limit the buying behavior of content within the application ."

Previously, an American father had lost up to $ 2,000 in content for applications because he could not control his child's playing process. Google also suffered a similar lawsuit in New York, USA after a child used his mother's nearly $ 70 to buy content in Marvel Run Jump Smash !. However, the investigation in Italy will be the first time government agencies focus on investigating these applications.

Investigators of Italy including Apple, Amazon, Google and Gameloft. If the wrongdoing is concluded, each company will face a maximum penalty of 5 million Euro.