Judge blocks Texas app store age verification law

A federal judge has blocked a Texas law requiring mobile app stores to verify users’ ages, effective Jan. 1.

in to request In granting a preliminary injunction on Texas’ App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420), Justice Robert Pittman wrote that the law is “similar to a law that requires every bookstore to verify the age of every customer at the door and, for minors, requires parental consent before a child or teen can enter and again when they attempt to purchase a book.” Pittman has not yet ruled on the merits of the case, but his decision to grant the preliminary injunction means he believes his defenders are unlikely to prevail in court.

Texas’ app store accountability law is the first of a series of similar state laws to face a legal challenge, making the ruling particularly important as Congress considers a version of the law. Laws, copies of which have also been issued Utah The state of Louisiana aims to impose age verification standards at the App Store level, making companies such as Apple and Google responsible for relaying signals about users’ ages to app developers to prevent users from age-inappropriate experiences. Although the format was developed and supported by parent advocates, it received a boost from lobbying by Meta and other technology platforms that support the model, such as Snap and X.

Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), whose members include Apple, Google, and Meta, Suit to block the law From its effect, Saying It “imposes a widespread censorship regime over the entire world of mobile applications.” The group claims that the Texas law would impose prohibitive burdens on teens’ ability to access online speech, requiring them and their parents to give up information in order to access various applications. A student advocacy group separately sued to block the law, arguing that Unconstitutional limits Speech to which children may be exposed. State And he preserved The law is constitutional and must be respected.

The state can still appeal the ruling to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has history Reverse the blocks on Internet regulations. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling and his plans to appeal.

Pittman found that the highest level of scrutiny must be applied to evaluate the law under the First Amendment, meaning that the state must prove that the law is “the least restrictive means of achieving a compelling state interest.” The judge found that was not the case, and that it would not survive even moderate scrutiny, because Texas had so far failed to prove that its goals were connected to its methods.

Since Texas already has a law Request age verification for porn sitesPittman said that “only in the vast minority of requests will SB 2420 have constitutional application to unprotected expression not addressed by other laws.” He acknowledged the importance of protecting children online, writing: “The means to that end must be consistent with the First Amendment. No matter how compelling the political concerns are, and no matter how broad agreement there is on the need to address this issue, the Court remains bound by the rule of law.”

Apple has opposed Texas’ approach to checking the App Store’s age, with CEO Tim Cook reportedly going so far as to do so Call Governor Greg Abbott To try to dissuade him from signing the law. Google also opposed this, but recently came up with a different model to ensure the lifespan of the App Store Passed in Californiawhich requires less data collection.

Recently, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee introduced two versions of App Store Lifetime Bills Which borrows aspects of the Texas and California versions. Efforts to expand the proposal nationally have alarmed Apple, along with Cook Meeting with committee heads The day before coding to discuss billing.
As age verification proposals targeting app stores advance in states and Congress, the companies that run them also appear to be responding to the growing regulatory threat by making proactive changes. Apple, for example Announcing new child safety features This year, which included a way for parents to share their children’s age ranges with app developers.