facebook  must face a nationwide class action lawsuit seeking to  force the social media company to provide refunds when children  spend their parents' money on its website without permission, a federal judge has said us district judge beth labson freeman in san jose,  california on tuesday said a class of plaintiffs estimated in  the hundreds of thousands may press their claim that facebook  should change how it handles online transactions by minors the judge also said the plaintiffs could not pursue refunds  as a group under us supreme court precedent, because any  refunds would vary from case to case, but could still seek  individual refunds a california judge said a class of plaintiffs estimated in the hundreds of thousands may press their claim that facebook should change how it handles online transactions by minors  the lawsuit was brought by two children and their parents one child said his mother let him spend $20 on her credit  card toward the game 'ninja saga,' but was later charged several  hundred dollars for purchases he thought he made with 'virtual,  in game currency' the other said he took a debit card from his  parents without permission and spent $1,059 she set an oct 19 trial date facebook said it believes the lawsuit lacks merit, and said  it will defend itself vigorously the april 2012 lawsuit said facebook let children use their  parents' credit and debit cards to buy the virtual currency  facebook credits, and violated california law by refusing  refunds under its 'all sales are final' policy when the parents  complained in opposing class certification, facebook said the  plaintiffs' claims were too disparate, and an injunction would  not address them but freeman said state law protects parents and their  children when those children 'occasionally use their lack of  judgment' and buy things they should not 'though some minors undoubtedly may wish to continue making  purchases through credit or debit cards they do not have  permission to use, such a desire cannot prevent the named  plaintiffs from bringing suit to demand that facebook's policies  comply with the law,' she wrote facebook credits were discontinued in 2013 and replaced with  facebook payments the lawsuit was brought by two children and their parents one child said his mother let him spend $20 on her credit  card toward the game 'ninja saga,' but was later charged several  hundred dollars for purchases he thought he made with 'virtual,  in game currency' the april 2012 lawsuit said facebook let children use theirparents' credit and debit cards to buy the virtual currency facebook credits, and violated california law by refusingrefunds under its 'all sales are final' policy when the parentscomplained the other said he took a debit card from his  parents without permission and spent $1,059 people who sign up for facebook must be at least 13 years  old, according to the menlo park, california based company 'we're very pleased with the decision,' jr parker, a  lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview 'the  difference between facebook and other businesses is that the  company is on actual notice of a user's age, but treats children  the same as adult users when it comes to taking their money' the case is ib et al v facebook inc, us district court,  northern district of california, no 12 01894
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parents hope to force the social media company to provide refunds  claims children spend their parents' money without permission  facebook said it believes the lawsuit lacks merit  said it will defend itself vigorously 