While there is an in-school version, kids who have the premium membership enjoy those benefits even while playing at school. The document explains in part that many 'of the most interesting and/or desirable items are only available to Premium members, regardless of how much currency a player has earned, and non-members are often shown items that they cannot access unless they purchase the membership.' In addition, 'Students are consistently reminded of what others are doing and purchasing and of whether they are Premium members or not,' with colorful, child-friendly graphics. The FTC complaint details a range of problems with the role-playing game-targeted for users grades 1 to 8-including how learners are pressured into not staying with the free version but into buying a vastly different premium membership, which, if paid monthly, would come out to over $100 per year.

He accused Prodigy of 'taking advantage of this vulnerability, and in the process, creating a clear line between the haves and have-nots in the classroom.'

'Parents are trying to make the most of the educational tools at their disposal during this unprecedented time, and many are struggling to make ends meet,' said Golin. 'It's bad enough when commercial apps deliberately frustrate and manipulate children into desiring in-game purchases, but Prodigy's insidious business model is creating a new form of inequality in classrooms,' said CCFC executive director Josh Golin in a statement.

Is becoming a member on prodigy free