After stories came out like the 8-year-old girl who ran up a $1400 iTunes bill buying Smurberries inside the “Smurf Village” game for iPad, the Washington Post reports the FTC has said that it is going to look at how in-app purchases are marketed and delivered.

“We fully share your concern that consumers, particularly children, are unlikely to understand the ramifications of these types of purchases,” FCC Chairman Leibowitz wrote to Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass). “Let me assure you we will look closely at the current industry practice with respect to the marketing and delivery of these types of applications.”

It will be interesting to see what fruit this Smurfberry investigation bears and the effect it has on the industry. Facebook has already announced that it is testing tool to curb kids running up big bills spending real money inside its games.

FTC to review Apple iPhone in-app purchases [Washington Post]

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