The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to block a Texas law mandating that app stores confirm the ages of users and secure parental approval before minors can download applications. This ruling enables the enforcement of the measure while a legal challenge is still ongoing.
The order, issued on July 6, allows Senate Bill 2420, referred to as the App Store Accountability Act, to remain in effect as the case returns to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court is set to hear arguments regarding the law's constitutionality in early August.
Enacted in 2025, SB 2420 obligates app store operators, like Apple and Google, to confirm the age of users in Texas and to obtain consent from a parent or guardian for anyone under 18 wishing to download an app or make in-app purchases. Additionally, the law requires app developers to categorize their products based on age appropriateness for four groups: children under 13, teens aged 13 to 15, older teens aged 16 and 17, and adults aged 18 and above.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who supported the law, described the ruling as a win for online child safety. The law faced opposition from the Computer and Communications Industry Association and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, who argue it infringes on First Amendment rights. The 5th Circuit is scheduled to expedite hearings in August to consider the arguments from both sides.
