How to respond to user complaints so that your lawyer stays satisfied

What the talk is about

Alina Davletshyna, a lawyer in the games industry, looks at how developers should answer user complaints from a legal rather than a communication angle. Subjective feedback about design or updates needs no reply, but requests about refunds, intrusive ads and personal data can carry legal consequences. Marketplaces handle the charges, so in the first 48 hours users are sent to them, and later a refund is the default unless the user broke the game rules. That makes clearly written internal documents important. Developers are responsible for ads shown in their apps, including compliance with age ratings and store rules. For personal data, laws such as the European and Californian ones require timely replies to user requests. Useful for indie developers and studios who want to protect themselves from disputes and app blocks.