WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A federal judge has blocked Texas from enforcing a new law that would have required companies running app stores, including Apple and Google, to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent for minors.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction against the App Store Accountability Act, ruling that it likely violates the First Amendment by restricting access to lawful speech.
The law, scheduled to take effect in January, would have mandated that app store operators create systems for users under 18 to gain parental approval before downloading apps or making in-app purchases.
Supporters argued the measure would help protect children from harmful online content, but critics warned it would impose sweeping restrictions on digital speech and raise privacy concerns.
Judge Pitman likened the requirement to forcing bookstores to verify customers' ages at the door and require parental consent before minors could browse or buy books. He said the law would limit access to a 'vast universe of speech' by compelling Texans to prove their age before using mobile apps.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, whose members include Apple and Google. The group said the decision preserves the free speech rights of app stores, developers, parents, and young users.
The decision highlights ongoing tensions between states seeking to regulate children's online access and technology companies resisting broad age-verification mandates.
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