The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a Texas law requiring app stores and developers to verify the age of mobile device users to remain in effect, rejecting requests to block the measure while legal challenges continue. The law also mandates that minors must obtain parental consent before downloading apps or making purchases.

The court’s decision came in response to a challenge brought by the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), which represents major app store operators including Apple and Google, alongside a coalition of students known as Students Engaged in Advancing Texas and two individual students. The challengers argue that the law infringes on free speech rights protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

Texas enacted the App Store Accountability Act in 2025, imposing requirements on app platforms and developers aimed at preventing minors from accessing age-inappropriate content without parental oversight. Under the law, accounts held by individuals under 18 must be linked to a parent or guardian’s account. Before a minor can download an app, the parent or guardian must be notified of the app’s age rating and provide explicit approval.

The legislation is part of a broader trend by some U.S. states and international governments to regulate children’s use of smartphones and social media. In 2025, Australia became the first country to ban social media access for users under the age of 16, reflecting growing concerns about the effects of digital platforms on young people.

The legal battle intensified following a December 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas, who granted injunctions against enforcement of the law, stating it likely violates free speech protections. Pitman likened the law to requiring bookstores to verify the age of every shopper and obtain parental consent for minors before entry or purchase.

However, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans put Pitman’s injunction on hold on June 4, allowing the Texas law to take effect as the litigation proceeds. The Supreme Court’s recent refusal to lift the appeals court stay effectively upholds the current enforcement of the age verification and parental consent requirements.

This case echoes a previous Supreme Court decision last year, which upheld a different state law mandating age verification by pornographic websites, rejecting arguments that the measure violated the First Amendment rights of adults.

The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between efforts to protect minors from potentially harmful online content and challenges to regulations seen as impinging on constitutional free speech rights in the digital age.