On December 23, 2025, a federal judge issued an injunction against the enforcement of Texas’ App Store Accountability Act, known as SB 2420. The law was set to take effect on January 1, 2026, imposing strict age verification and parental consent requirements on app stores and developers. This decision followed a consolidated hearing on December 16, where U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman reviewed arguments from various parties regarding the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) first filed a lawsuit on October 16, 2025, claiming that the law violated First Amendment rights for users, app stores, and developers. In a separate case, two students and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) also challenged the law, asserting it infringed on minors’ free speech rights. Both sets of plaintiffs filed for a preliminary injunction on October 23, leading to a series of legal exchanges culminating in the recent court ruling.
Judge Pitman expressed significant concerns about the law’s implications. He noted that the legislation would require both app stores and developers to implement a new age rating system and display it to users. It also shifted the responsibility for age verification onto app stores, mandated parental consent before minors could download or purchase apps, and required app stores to revoke access to apps when their content ratings or functionalities changed.
The court classified the law as a content-based regulation, triggering a strict scrutiny standard. Judge Pitman concluded that Texas did not provide a compelling interest justifying the law’s broad restrictions on minors’ access to various types of speech. Furthermore, the judge determined that the law did not employ the least restrictive means to protect minors from potentially harmful content.
Pitman highlighted that the law’s application was both over- and under-inclusive. It allowed minors to access harmful content on pre-downloaded apps while simultaneously restricting their ability to engage in online discourse. The court also supported the CCIA’s argument regarding the law’s vagueness, citing two problematic aspects: app stores and developers’ liability for misrepresenting age ratings, and the obligation to notify users of “significant changes” to app functionalities.
Following the ruling, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal on the same day. Legal observers expect further developments regarding the injunction in the first quarter of 2026. Stakeholders, including those affected by similar legislation in other states, should monitor the situation closely. Notably, similar laws in Utah and Louisiana are anticipated to take effect in mid-2026, while a law in California is scheduled for implementation on January 1, 2027.
This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate surrounding technology regulation and minors’ online rights. As the legal battles continue, the implications of such laws will likely resonate across the nation.
