A federal judge has blocked the enforcement of a new age verification law in Texas, prompting Apple to pause its planned changes to the App Store within the state. The ruling, issued on Tuesday, halts the implementation of SB2420, also known as the App Store Accountability Act, which was set to take effect in January 2024. This law aimed to impose strict age verification requirements on app stores, necessitating parental consent for users under 18 to download apps or make in-app purchases.
The judge’s decision cites concerns related to the First Amendment, representing a significant win for major technology companies, including Apple and Google. Texas lawmakers, however, expressed their intention to continue fighting the legal battle, with the Texas Attorney General’s Office indicating plans to appeal the ruling, as reported by Reuters.
Under SB2420, app stores would have been mandated to verify user ages and share that information with developers. In preparation for the law, Apple had announced new requirements for apps in Texas, which included that all users under 18 must join a Family Sharing group. This setup would allow parents or guardians to provide consent for all App Store downloads and purchases. Furthermore, parents would have the ability to revoke consent at any time.
Although the enforcement of the law is paused, Apple confirmed that its developer tools for age assurance would remain available for testing and use. These tools include the Declared Age Range API, which Apple introduced to help comply with various age assurance laws worldwide. The company plans to update this technology in the coming months to meet the requirements for new account users in Texas.
In its objections to the law and similar legislation set to be introduced in Utah and Louisiana, Apple emphasized concerns regarding user privacy. The company stated, “While we share the goal of strengthening kids’ online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.”
The ongoing legal process surrounding SB2420 highlights a growing tension between state lawmakers and technology firms over user privacy and online safety. As Apple navigates this complex landscape, it remains committed to offering tools that help developers comply with evolving regulations while prioritizing user privacy.
In the meantime, Apple continues to make its age assurance tools available for developers globally, including updates to the Significant Change API under PermissionKit and new age rating property types in StoreKit. As the situation unfolds, the implications for app developers and users in Texas remain significant, with potential changes on the horizon as legal challenges progress.
