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US judge blocks Texas app store age law meant to protect children
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman blocked Texas's age verification law citing First Amendment violations and overbreadth, halting enforcement before its Jan. 1, 2026 effective date.
- Yesterday, a federal court in Austin blocked the Texas App Store Accountability Act from taking effect on January 1, 2026, before enforcement began.
- The Computer & Communications Industry Association sued to block the Texas App Store Accountability Act, arguing it burdens app operators and infringes free speech and privacy, before Jan. 1.
- The judge found parts of the law unconstitutionally vague and overbroad and said Texas failed to show its methods meet strict scrutiny, likening it to requiring bookstores to check ages at the door.
- The CCIA and major platform operators hailed the injunction as a victory, which prevents Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from enforcing SB 2420 while the state may seek review in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- The decision may shape both state and federal efforts as Congress considers related bills, while Apple released APIs and sandbox tools last month and Tim Cook met lawmakers earlier this month on privacy.
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54 Articles
Texas law requiring parental consent for minors downloading apps blocked days before going into effect
This year Governor Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 2420, a law requiring age verification and parental consent for minors downloading apps or making in-app purchases. Just over a week before it was set to go into effect the law was blocked by a federal judge.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources54
Leaning Left7Leaning Right1Center25Last UpdatedBias Distribution76% Center
Bias Distribution
- 76% of the sources are Center
76% Center
L 21%
C 76%
Factuality
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