Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge

[MacRumors]

A Texas federal judge today blocked an App Store age verification law that was set to go into effect on January 1, 2026, which means Apple may not have to support the changes after all.

The Texas App Store Accountability Act (SB2420) requires Apple and other app marketplaces to confirm user age when a person creates an Apple Account. Apple Accounts for users under 18 would need to join a Family Sharing group, with new controls available for parents and restrictions for minors.

In a preliminary injunction that delays the implementation of the act, Judge Robert Pitman said that it violates the First Amendment and is "more likely than not unconstitutional."

The Act is akin to a law that would require every bookstore to verify the age of every customer at the door and, for minors, require parental consent before the child or teen could enter and again when they try to purchase a book. As set out below, the Court finds a likelihood that, when considered on the merits, SB 2420 violates the First Amendment.

The injunction was in response to a motion filed by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a group that includes Apple and Google. Today's decision is a win for Apple, as Apple has been fighting against age assurance requirements in Texas and other states. Apple says that the Texas law impacts user privacy.

While we share the goal of strengthening kids' online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.

The court will move on to determining whether the law is facially invalid, which would mean that it is unconstitutional and will be entirely thrown out.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge

 

[germanbeer007]

how about gov stop trying to put their hands into the App Store and let Apple run it how they want to? yes?

 

[rotvaldi]

how about gov stop trying to put their hands into the App Store and let Apple run it how they want to? yes?

actually is not that bad.

 

[God of Biscuits]

how about gov stop trying to put their hands into the App Store and let Apple run it how they want to? yes?

That's not the significance of this.

 

[dominiongamma]

actually is not that bad.

Yes it is, gov needs to stay out of our lives

 

[BigOrangeSU]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

 

[dominiongamma]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

How about take responsibility for your kid and your own actions, instead of the gov ? Parents responsibility do matter still. Something goes wrong you will blame the gov instead of yourself as a parent

 

[al256]

How about take responsibility for your kid and your own actions, instead of the gov ? Parents responsibility do matter still. Something goes wrong you will blame the gov instead of yourself as a parent

I feel the same way about firearms. But I see no way this going to change. Look at Australia, this is coming.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Yes it is, gov needs to stay out of our lives

While I agree that government should stay out of personal lives, I don’t believe that corporations should have any such rights, and that includes Apple.

 

[ss2cire]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

You can already do this by setting up a child account in your iOS family. It allows you to set time limits for different apps/games, add age restrictions on the apps your kids can download etc. read the manual. It’s all there.

Overall though, I’m not really in support of forcing Apple to verify age. As they said, it’d require them to log a bunch of identifiable information etc (though I suppose one could argue that it doesn’t have to be a permanent log, just verify age and delete the data) but anyway, as others have said it should be on parents to monitor their kids activities online etc.

 

[Seoras]

As an outsider I see a country where kids kill other kids at schools with guns and these guys are focusing on legislating age restrictions on apps?

 

[canadianreader]

How about take responsibility for your kid and your own actions, instead of the gov ? Parents responsibility do matter still. Something goes wrong you will blame the gov instead of yourself as a parent

They find it inconvenient to follow Apple’s guidelines to protect their kids so they delegate it to the nanny state.

 

[nikon1]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

As a previous poster said, take the time to raise your offspring; to place the right values in their growing & evolving mind; be responsible for the life you created and placed into society. It’s not my job to raise your offspring or have to put up with their societal failures because you refused to live up to your responsibilities for raising a positive citizen.

Grow up and follow through for the next 20 years … or make the decision not to procreate and just skip through life.

 

[bmark]

The fact that Apple plays this up as a victory for user privacy is a farce! User privacy went out the window once they made an AI deal with Google.

 

[cjboffoli97]

how about gov stop trying to put their hands into the App Store and let Apple run it how they want to? yes?

Yes and maybe how about parents taking on the primary responsibility for the actions of their underaged children, as opposed to shifting that responsibility to third parties?

 

[AdonisSMU]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

Why is it everyone else’s job to parent other people’s children? Whats wrong with people parenting their own child? Parents are such trash these days that they can’t simply take the smartphone away from their child. It’s not like the child actually needs a smartphone anyway.

 

[dlondon]

The UK Government has recently introduced age verification requirements for adult content (or anything that might include adult content which means even Twitter/X requires you to verify age for some posts, as well as non-pornographic things like dating apps). It’s a pain and I don’t agree with it – but it’s here and other countries are doing it or plan to.

In the UK, the onus is on the app/website to verify the age. They all have different methods and many use third parties which is a real privacy concern. I would rather verify my details once with a provider (like Apple) than have to do this individually. Apple probably knows my age anyway without having to supply further info. I’d trust Apple and even Google to do this, if it has to be done.

 

[AgentOSX]

I disagree with this. Those under 18 cannot legally enter into a contract, which is what social media dn purchase agreements are, especially if a subscription is involved.

I do not believe that any child should have a phone until 16. They have have a smartwatch at 9-10, and no social media until 18.

 

[whoknows2597]

Why is it everyone else’s job to parent other people’s children? Whats wrong with people parenting their own child? Parents are such trash these days that they can’t simply take the smartphone away from their child. It’s not like the child actually needs a smartphone anyway.

You wanted to have the kids, you need to be responsible for them. No one forced the parents to have kids. It’s not anyones business to tell parents how to raise their children, especially a private business. The problem is that parents are now treating their kids as if they are their friends.

Like someone else said, they need to be accountable for what their kids watch and do

 

[turbineseaplane]

I’m just glad Apple won’t have to make any changes.

They are good at that.

 

[AppleMad98004]

I feel the same way about firearms. But I see no way this going to change. Look at Australia, this is coming.

Australia doesn't have the complete constitutional protection of the First Amendment in the US constitution. So legally Australia has more leeway. Same with guns and the second amendment. US is unique in this way, we have more rights to not have the government collect personal information or restrict access to things.

 

[Boeingfan]

“Apple says that the Texas law impacts user privacy.”

Oh please. Age verification is a standard old way of appropriately delivering something, and privacy and delivery must be balanced.

If private enterprise won’t do it then the government has to. It seems Apple want the government to do it.

If you enroll your 5 year old into high school they check the kids age.

If you apply for credit they check your age.

If you buy alcohol they check your age.

If you are born they record your age.

If you die they record your age.

If you have blood tests they check your age.

Age verification isn’t the bad guy here, and it’s either a private company or the government that need to do it, so cut the crap with privacy.

 

[haemolysis]

I feel the same way

Well, that's part of the problem. You "feel" like social responsibility might work, but we actually know that it simply does not.

We need laws and restrictions, not vibes.

 

[JUMA55]

With every passing moment the state of Texas becomes more and more the Fourth Reich. Anyone who lives here is just stupid or for one reason or another cannot leave. I fall into both categories.

 

[Starfia]

As a parent this is a great law! Kudos to Texas for passing this and its unfortunate the federal government is holding it up. By enforcing age on the app store level (or device, when I setup my device for my child), I can ensure my child will only get approved experiences.

If ensuring your child will only get approved experiences when you set up your device for them is what's important to you, aren't the existing parental controls still superior to the law?

You (in discussion with your child, as appropriate) determine what's appropriate for them based either on the existing app age ratings, or on a per-app basis. Additionally, you decide things like a reasonable amount of time allowed for whichever apps. Apple made all of this available years ago without government prompting.

The Texas law imposes on every child rules which the government – not you – decides, and which each tech company in question – not you – has the controls for. And it similarly affects every adult, potentially requiring them to submit personal documents just to use one service, then again for each additional service. I don't get the impression you wish to impose that on anyone, let alone your own family.