When developers create a game they often contract out the advertising that will appear within it to a specialist, which can serve adverts from hundreds of different organisations. IAPs are particularly controversial in apps aimed at children, not just because many deem them unethical but because they can cost parents money if the purchase itself is not password protected. It and other high-cost short-term lenders have been accused by Labour MP Stella Creasy of being 'legal loan sharks' and are the subject of a campaign to cap interest rates.ĭevelopers regularly offer apps for free, making their money from advertising or from users paying for 'in-app purchases' (IAPs) – paid-for perks that often improve a game and can result in adverts being removed. Wonga, which is in the news for its £24m four-year sponsorship deal with Newcastle United football club that will see its logo emblazoned on the club's shirts next season, offers short-term loans at an annual percentage rate of 4,214%. All the apps are available on iPhone, iPad and Android mobile phones.Īpp users can only remove the adverts from Talking Ginger if they pay for 'virtual toothpaste' – 69p gets a user 100 squirts of toothpaste and no more adverts, while larger sums gets them even more toothpaste.

Talking Ginger, which has a five-star rating from reviewers on the Apple app store, is part of a series of Talking Friends apps from developer Outfit7, including Talking Tom Cat, which also carries the Wonga adverts, and Talking Lila the Fairy.

The adverts, which take users to Wonga's app store download page, contain the line: 'Cash loans up to £400 … apply now'.

Download talking ginger 2012