Facebook may have to foot the bill for kids' Facebook Credit purchases

Never underestimate the wrath of an angry mother. Arizona mom Glynnis Bohannon has filed a class-action suit (PDF) against Facebook, seeking a refund for her son's Facebook Credit purchases and all those affected. The lawsuit rests on Facebook's terms of service requirement that forbids all users from providing false personal information when buying Facebook Credits, the social network's paid currency used to buy content in games and apps.

If a customer's personal information is falsified even in part, the court--Facebook looks to make this a federal case--could rule that those Facebook Credits transactions are void and require a full refund. The lawsuit also targets Facebook's stance on minors using Facebook Credits: "If you are under the age of 18, you may make payments only with the involvement of a parent or guardian. You should review these Payments Terms with a parent or guardian to make sure that you both understand them."

Not exactly an airtight solution. As VentureBeat points out, it could be simple to convince a judge that Facebook isn't doing its best at keeping customers from providing false information at purchase and ensuring that kids have their parents' consent before buying Facebook Credits. Just look at how Apple was all but forced to tweak its in-app purchases system after that Smurfs Village horror story. We've reached out to Facebook for comment.

Update: A Facebook spokesman has told us, "We believe this complaint is without merit and we will fight it vigorously."

Are you surprised by this news at all? Has your kid ever purchased Facebook Credits or anything of the sort, for that matter? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.