Supreme Court Allows Texas App Store Law Enforcement
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Texas to enforce its app store law, requiring age verification, while legal challenges continue. Big Tech companies oppose the measure.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided yesterday not to intervene in challenges to a Texas app store law, permitting the state to enforce age-verification requirements as a lawsuit proceeds. This decision allows the controversial law to move forward in the short term.
Initially, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in December 2025, blocking the "Texas App Store Accountability Act" from taking effect on January 1, 2026. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman found at the time that the law likely violated the First Amendment.
However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit stayed that injunction on June 4, stating there was "no legitimate justification for enjoining enforcement of the entire Act." A lobby group representing major technology companies and a student advocacy group subsequently asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the injunction.
Texas aims to use the law to prevent minors from accessing certain applications and content online. Major tech firms have strongly opposed the legislation, characterizing it as a "censorship regime" that could impact their operations. The legal battle is expected to continue.