They have fixed this in the most recent iOS update. In-app purchases will always ask for passwords now.
Re:Where Apple went wrong with free apps
by ZeroGravitas on Saturday March 19, 2011 @10:27AM
(#2343658)
Yes, that's what I said in the second sentence of my second paragraph above. But since you bring it up again I'll point out that this update is not available for my iPhone 3G that I have retired and now use exclusively for kids games. Instead I have to manually sign out after an install.
This was a big story not that long ago and prompted an FTC investigation. Apple fixed it in their latest iOS update by prompting for the password every time.
Even for an adult, using the phone alone without a child's fingers prodding randomly at the screen, a popup with an instantly charge my credit card button and a cancel button right next to each other is hardly a peaceful and serene thing to deal with when it pops up unexpectedly as you try to hit the tiny button that you hoped would allow you to avoid this very question. That's why it reminds me of those "You are trying to leave this webpage! OK Cancel" things.