Add child account need credit card

What does Apple suggest for those of us that don't have credit cards? I use debit cards exclusively - I paid off and tore up all my credit cards years ago. I just bought my daughter an iPad Mini for Christmas, but if I cannot set up an account for her I guess I should just take it back to the store??

Hi Box06,

If you have questions about the credit card requirement when setting up a child Apple ID for Family Sharing, you may find the following helpful:

Before you begin, make sure that you're using a credit card as your iTunes Store and App Store payment method. To comply with child online privacy protection laws, you will use the CVV or security code from a valid credit card as part of providing your parental consent. If the card on file is a debit card or another payment method, you’ll be asked to provide a credit card before you can continue. After you create the child's Apple ID, you can change your payment method back to a debit card.

Family Sharing and Apple IDs for kids

Regards,

- Brenden

Negative. I do not choose to exclude myself from anything except banking fees. I *choose* to live within my means. I choose not to pay interest rates and/or annual fees to a commercial banking institution for the privilege of spending money I don't have. I have several forms of ID for identifying myself - driver's license, passport, military ID, etc., and they have always been all I need. I'm not living "off the grid" here. I'm a regular Joe with a home, a family, 2 cars, a good job, a cat and a dog. I travel quite a bit, I rent cars and hotels regularly. As I said earlier this is the first time in over a decade without credit cards that I have run into a situation that required me to have an actual credit card vs. a debit card, and it's a pretty silly requirement in this day and age.

Can you name just one thing that I have "excluded" myself from by not having a credit card besides adding a child account to iTunes? No fair saying "banking fees" - I already said that one.

I'm sorry if it offends you that I don't have a credit card. Bear in mind that a credit card is a service that is being sold by a banking institution. It isn't free and it isn't "required" (no matter how much the banks would love that). In fact I find it offensive that I should be required to have one to prove my identity. That is like *requiring* that I provide my cable TV account number to prove my identity and not allowing me to sign up if I don't have enough channels or if I (God forbid!) don't have cable (I don't). Just silly.

So that would be no? You can't name one specific thing that i have excluded myself from? I didn't think so.

So here is the actual text of the statute you keep referring to (in CAPS!) but obviously have never read:

Access Verification

At a parent's request, operators must disclose the general kinds of personal information they collect online from children (for example, name, address, telephone number, email address, hobbies), as well as the specific information collected from children who visit their sites. Operators must use reasonable procedures to ensure they are dealing with the child's parent before they provide access to the child's specific information.

They can use a variety of methods to verify the parent's identity, including:

• obtaining a signed form from the parent via postal mail or facsimile;
• accepting and verifying a credit card number;
• taking calls from parents on a toll-free telephone number staffed by trained personnel;
• email accompanied by digital signature;
• email accompanied by a PIN or password obtained through one of the verification methods above.

Operators who follow one of these procedures acting in good faith to a request for parental access are protected from liability under federal and state law for inadvertent disclosures of a child's information to someone who purports to be a parent.

http://www.coppa.org/comply.htm

You will notice that there are many methods listed to verify the parent's identity. Apple *chooses* to follow one and only one of them.

I would suggest in the future you do your homework before weighing in on subjects that you aren't fully familiar with. I understand that you, personally, can't do anything about this situation (except repeat the same misinformation and act superior) but instead you could help bring this conversation to the attention of real Apple representatives who may be able to provide some relief. Thank you.

It's a LEGAL requirement. If you don't have a credit card or refuse to use one, then you can not take advantage of that feature.

READ the terms:

To comply with child online privacy protection laws, you will use the CVV or security code from a valid credit card as part of providing your parental consent. If the card on file is a debit card or another payment method, you’ll be asked to provide a credit card before you can continue. After you create the child's Apple ID, you can change your payment method back to a debit card.

Apple CAN NOT LEGALLY offer the service without proof of identity. The credit card is legally acceptable when it comes to your ability to electronically consent to be responsible for the activities of your minor child. A debit card is not.

If you don't like that, too bad. Deal with it. You'll find that NO ONE else offers an alternative for a similar service. They don't do so because it would not be legal.

You can believe whatever you want about credit scores. I don't care.

Continuing to whine and moan because you can't sign up for an online service without a valid credit card isn't going to alter reality in any way.

Nice. Way to re-enforce the stereotype of a Cult of Apple devotee - this is the first time I have witnessed it first-hand and it's every bit as sad as I expected.

First of all, bringing gaps in service availability to a company's attention is absolutely the best way to address issues like this. It isn't uncommon for companies to have unpublished procedures for dealing with one-off situations like this and asking doesn't hurt anyone (except, apparently, you). The trick is finding the right person to ask.

Second, could you point out the places in this thread where I "whine and moan"? Are you referring to the statements with caps-lock (CAN NOT LEGALLY, NOT, NO ONE) for emphasis? Oh wait, that was you.

How about statements like these:

"If you don't like that, too bad."

"Deal with it."

"You can believe whatever you want..."

"I don't care."

"Apple can't change the law."

"Filing a complaint with Apple will accomplish absolutely nothing."

Yea, those were you also. Pretty sure only one of us is "whining and moaning."

Have a nice day.

I did read that and I would be happy to comply, but I don't own a credit card! Are you claiming that there are actual laws on the books in the US that state that I cannot prove that I am an adult unless I have a credit card?? I would love to read those.

In order to give electronic consent, you must verify your identity. A debit card is not legally acceptable identification. In the absence of paper authorization that's been signed and notarized, a valid credit card is legally acceptable.

I'm not going to dig out the statute. You can dig it up if you want. It won't change anything. If you don't have a credit card, then you can not use family sharing.

Well, thanks for the help then, I guess I will take it back. I was hoping to standardize the family on Apple products instead of having a mix of Apple and Android, but from what you say there is no way around this requirement. Disappointing. Do you know if there is any way to file a grievance or an "official" complaint with Apple? It has been over a decade since I tore up my credit cards and this is the first and only time it has ever been an issue. I understand that utilizing a credit card is a quick and easy, but they really should have a work-around in place for people like me.

You can use the 'contact us' link at the bottom of the page.

Filing a complaint with Apple will accomplish absolutely nothing. If you want to file a complaint where it matters, write your congressman. Apple can't change the law.

Thanks, I'll use the 'Contact Us' link. Again, I seriously doubt there is actually a law that I *must* own a credit card to verify that I'm a grown-up, Apple has simply chosen to use that method because it is quick and easy. If nobody ever complains about it they will never know that they are losing business because of it. Thanks again.

Apple chose that method because it's verifiable and the serves as legal proof that you are agreeing to allow your minor children to use online services. A debit card does NOT work the same way when it comes to the ability to verify your identity. Anyone can walk into a bank, open a checking account, and get a debit card with a Visa logo on it.

Honestly, these days, not having a credit card at all is not a smart move when it comes to your credit rating. Get a credit card. Use it to authorize family share, then set the payment method as your debit card if you want. Stick the credit card in a drawer. Use it one a month for gas and pay it off immediately or something.

Having no revolving credit at all is almost as bad as maxing out multiple cards, and much more than just your ability to get a loan or another card rests on your credit score, believe it or not... How much you pay for insurance is affected, as is, in many cases, your ability to get a job. You're only hurting yourself by refusing. It's your choice, but if you choose not to, you also choose not to be able to use family share.

Keep in mind that verification by credit card is NOT an Apple invention. Any other content provider would have to do the same thing.

Correct - isn't that what I said? Apple *chooses* to use the credit card method. To put that another way Apple *chooses* not to cater to anyone who chooses not to have any credit cards. There are alternate methods available, but Apple chooses not to utilize any of them (and if you think getting a credit card is harder than getting a debit card you simply haven't ben paying attention - at least getting a debit card requires me to go into the actual bank and let a teller glance at my ID. I get over a dozen credit card offers in the mail every week from companies who would be more than happy to issue me a card based on nothing more than returning the postage-prepaid card with a signature scrawled on it).

Also, to your comment that "not having a credit card is not a smart move" I whole-heartedly disagree. I am not debt free - I have a mortgage and a car loan, I had and paid off credit cards (long ago) and student loans (more recent). My credit rating is very high. Your comment is a myth perpetuated by the payment card industry to keep people paying their interest rates and fees perpetually. I will concede that credit cards are a convenient way for young people to begin to establish their credit rating (ironically at a time in life when they are the most financially irresponsible) but at my stage they are unnecessary.

Do yourself a favor - go through your credit card statements for the last couple years and add up all the interest and fees you have been paying for your cards. I think you will be shocked.