Google is rolling out a significant update to Google Wallet that opens up the digital wallet to children.
The update enables children to not only make digital payments and use tap-to-pay, but also to store a range of passes, cards and tickets in one place. The consent of a parent or guardian is required to add a child’s card to Google Wallet, and there are comprehensive supervision tools available.
See also:
Google is quick to stress that children should only be allowed to make digital payments on their Android device using Google Wallet with the “appropriate supervision” of parents or guardians. The company says that the update to the digital wallet gives kids a way to “securely tap to pay in stores and keep supported passes like event tickets, library cards and gift cards in one convenient place”.
Explaining how parents and guardians remain in control of how the system is used, Google says:
Safety and security are core to the Google Wallet experience and this update also gives parents tools to help manage the Wallet experience for their children. A child’s payment cards can only be added with parental consent, and parents will receive an email whenever their child makes a transaction. Parents can also easily track recent purchases, remove payment cards and turn off access to passes right in Family Link.
The rollout is not yet taking place on a worldwide scale, but the option for children to make use of Google Wallet is hitting the US, the UK, Australia, Spain and Poland over the coming weeks. Although Google does not talk about plans to extend availability to other parts of the world, it seems likely that it will go global at some point in the future.
