Lawsuits Challenge Texas’ App Store Age-Verification Law

Texas’ newly enacted App Store Accountability Act, which requires age verification before downloading apps or making in-app purchases and forces parental consent for underage users, is already facing legal challenges. The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and a student group called Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) have filed separate lawsuits claiming the law violates the First Amendment and places undue burdens on developers.

The law is scheduled to take effect on New Year’s Day. Plaintiffs argue the statute restricts access to lawful content, compels speech by requiring developers to “age-rate” apps for different audiences, and raises privacy concerns by necessitating identity verification (potentially including government IDs).

• CCIA, whose members include major tech companies, asserts the law “prevents users from seeing” lawful content and forces developers to alter how they describe apps.
• SEAT, represented by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and two high school students, contends the law “imposes sweeping restrictions on access to protected speech and information.”
• Legal and privacy experts warn about risks tied to collecting sensitive personal data for verification.

While supporters of the law say it aims to protect minors, critics say states must be careful not to overreach in ways that limit free expression or create heavy compliance costs for small developers. The coming court battles will test how far state regulation can go when it intersects with app distribution platforms and digital speech.

For the original news report, see Engadget’s coverage.

Discussion: Do you think state-level rules like this are necessary to protect minors, or do they go too far in restricting access and speech? Share your thoughts below.