The Supreme Court just cleared the way for Texas to enforce a controversial new law that forces app stores and developers to verify a user’s age before letting minors download anything.
The order, issued Monday, denied an emergency request from tech trade groups and student advocates to block the Texas App Store Accountability Act (TASAA) while a lower court reviews its constitutionality. That means the law is now in effect — at least for now.
The Supreme Court didn’t explain its reasoning, which is typical for emergency applications. But the practical impact is immediate: app stores operating in Texas must start checking ages and getting parental consent for users under 18.
What the Texas app store law actually requires
Governor Greg Abbott signed TASAA into law back in May 2025. It’s straightforward in intent but messy in execution. The law says:
- App stores and developers must use age verification tools to confirm whether a user is under 18.
- Minors cannot download apps or make in-app purchases without parental consent.
- Developers are required to assign age ratings to their apps — a provision the tech industry calls “burdensome” and potentially unconstitutional.
The law applies to any app store that does business in Texas, which effectively means it covers the entire U.S. market for major platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Legal whiplash: from blocked to reinstated
The case has bounced around the courts for months. In December 2025, a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction, stopping enforcement while the legal challenge played out. But last month, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision and let the law take effect.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) — whose members include Google, Meta and Apple — along with a student advocacy group, then asked the Supreme Court to step in. They argued the law violates the First Amendment. The high court said no.
The Fifth Circuit is scheduled to hear oral arguments in August. So this isn’t the final word. But for now, Texas has its age verification law.
First Amendment fight: privacy vs. child safety
The core of the legal battle is about free speech. The CCIA argues that forcing people to hand over personal data — like a government ID or a birth date — just to access an app store is a form of prior restraint.
“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,” the group said in a statement after the Supreme Court ruling.
Youth advocates and tech companies also contend that the law restricts minors’ own First Amendment rights. If a 16-year-old can’t download a news app or a messaging platform without a parent’s approval, that’s a limit on their access to information, the argument goes.
States push back: “Parental controls don’t work”
On the other side, a bipartisan coalition of more than two dozen state attorneys general filed an amicus brief last month supporting TASAA. Their argument is blunt: the status quo isn’t working.
“The lack of current controls is especially well-documented in the social media context,” the brief states. “Platforms have long had parental controls, but they have made no dent in child addiction. That is both because parents do not use them and because they are ineffective.”
Texas isn’t alone in this push. The state already has a similar age verification law for porn websites, which the Supreme Court upheld last year. Other states, including Louisiana and Utah, have passed or proposed comparable legislation for social media and app stores.
What happens next — and what it means for users
For now, if you live in Texas and use an iPhone or Android device, you may start seeing age prompts the next time you open the App Store or Google Play. Developers will need to figure out how to rate their apps in a way that complies with Texas law — or risk being blocked from the state’s market.
The Fifth Circuit’s hearing in August will be the next big moment. If the appeals court upholds the law, the case could head back to the Supreme Court for a full review. If it strikes the law down, Texas will likely appeal.
Either way, the legal uncertainty isn’t going away anytime soon. And the broader question — whether age verification is a legitimate tool for protecting children or an unconstitutional barrier to free expression — is far from settled.
For more on how these legal battles affect what you can do on your phone, check out our explainer on how age verification laws impact social media use and the ongoing debate over digital privacy and the First Amendment.
