The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to block Texas’s App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420), allowing the state to enforce age verification requirements for app downloads while legal challenges continue. The unsigned orders, with no noted dissents, refused to reinstate a lower court injunction that had previously halted the law, meaning the statute now takes effect during the appeals process.<\/p>\n
Under the statute, app stores operating in Texas must now verify the age of every user and obtain parental consent for anyone under 18 before allowing app downloads or in-app purchases. Adults are also required to present government identification or another form of age verification to confirm they are not minors.<\/p>\n
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2420 on May 27, 2025, with original enforcement set for January 1, 2026. The law applies to all apps regardless of content, and supporters describe it as a content-neutral measure designed to protect children’s data, safety, and privacy. Opponents argue that requiring government ID to access apps imposes an identity checkpoint that burdens free speech.<\/p>\n
Texas has framed the law as a regulation of commercial transactions, comparing age checks for app downloads to age restrictions for drivers’ licenses. Apple and Google have stated they will comply, though both companies have warned that the requirements may erode user privacy.<\/p>\n
Texas is not alone in pursuing this approach. Utah and Louisiana have passed similar age verification laws for app stores, reflecting a broader trend of state-level regulation of online platforms.<\/p>\n
Two lawsuits challenging the law on First Amendment grounds are pending. The plaintiffs include Students Engaged in Advancing Texas and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a trade group representing major technology companies.<\/p>\n
Challengers argue that conditioning app access on government ID effectively regulates access to speech and could render large portions of the internet subject to increased government oversight. They also note that Texas already enforces a separate law aimed at online pornography, which they say diminishes the state’s interest in SB 2420. CCIA has additionally pointed to high compliance costs and argued that existing parental controls already address safety concerns.<\/p>\n
Texas has countered that the law is a content-neutral commercial regulation and should be evaluated under intermediate scrutiny, a standard the Fifth Circuit has accepted. State officials have framed the case as a question of federalism and state authority.<\/p>\n
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman blocked the law in December 2025, finding it likely unconstitutional. The Fifth Circuit lifted that block in May 2026, ruling that the law likely survives intermediate scrutiny. The plaintiffs then sought emergency relief from the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
On July 6, 2026, the justices declined to intervene, issuing no public dissents. The case now returns to the Fifth Circuit for an expedited merits hearing scheduled for early August.<\/p>\n
CCIA President Matt Schruers welcomed the schedule, stating: “We look forward to an expedited hearing before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in early August to demonstrate how Texas’ App Store Accountability Act violates the First Amendment. People should not have to turn over personal data to access the internet any more than they should show government identification to enter a bookstore.”<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene does not constitute a ruling on the constitutional merits of the case.<\/p>\n
With the law now in effect, Texas residents must present identification before accessing app stores. The Fifth Circuit’s upcoming hearing will determine whether SB 2420 can remain in force throughout the remainder of the appeals process.<\/p>\n
The outcome could set a precedent for similar age verification measures in other states. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the security of the data these systems collect, pointing to a recent incident in which Texas reportedly exposed millions of driver’s licenses and passports.<\/p>\n
The legal battle over SB 2420 continues, with potential implications for free speech and online privacy well beyond Texas.<\/p>\n
App stores operating in Texas must verify the age of every user and obtain parental consent for anyone under 18 before allowing app downloads or in-app purchases. Adults must also present government identification or another form of age verification.<\/p>\n
On July 6, 2026, the justices issued unsigned orders with no noted dissents declining to reinstate a lower court injunction that had blocked SB 2420. The Court did not rule on the constitutional merits of the case.<\/p>\n
The case returns to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for an expedited merits hearing scheduled for early August 2026, where plaintiffs including Students Engaged in Advancing Texas and CCIA will argue the law violates the First Amendment.<\/p>\n