AUSTIN, Texas — A federal appeals court on Thursday allowed Texas’ law requiring age verification and parental consent for minors using app marketplaces to take effect temporarily while litigation continues.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, who ruled in December that the law likely violated the First Amendment.
The decision allows enforcement of Senate Bill 2420 while the court continues its review. The panel did not provide an explanation for its ruling.
SB 2420 requires app marketplace operators such as Google and Apple to verify users’ ages, obtain parental consent for users under 18, and classify apps according to age suitability categories ranging from under 13 to 18 and older.
The law was originally scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.
Supporters of the measure said it is designed to protect children using online platforms and mobile applications. Critics said it restricts access to online speech and violates constitutional protections.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas filed separate lawsuits in October challenging the law.
Judge Pitman previously compared the requirement to age verification at bookstores and ruled that the law likely violates free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the injunction and argued that the state has authority to regulate commercial transactions involving minors on digital platforms.
The appeals court ruling functions as an administrative stay and does not represent a final decision on the merits of the case.
