Supreme Court denies Texas app age-verification law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to block a Texas law requiring age verification for app store users and parental consent for minors, allowing the state to enforce the measure while legal challenges continue. The court issued brief, unsigned orders denying emergency petitions from student and technology industry groups who argue the law violates First Amendment free speech rights.

The law, known as the App Store Accountability Act or Senate Bill 2420, was signed by Governor Greg Abbott in 2025. It requires app stores to verify the age of all users. For individuals under 18, it mandates that their accounts be linked to a parent or guardian, who must receive notice of an app's age rating and provide approval before any download or in-app purchase can proceed. The law includes only narrow exceptions for apps from emergency services and certain educational testing companies.

The legal challenge was brought by Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, a student advocacy group, and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a trade group whose members include app store operators Apple and Google. They argued the law imposes an unprecedented government restriction on...