United States of America: Applicability of App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) was blocked by Court

On 23 December 2025, the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, Austin Division issued an order preventing enforcement of Texas’ App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420), which was scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2026. The Act requires app stores to implement age verification procedures. Accounts belonging to minors must be linked to a parent or guardian before any app-related transactions are allowed. The law also introduces structured age categories and aims to strengthen privacy and security protections for younger users of mobile applications. The Court raised concerns about several provisions, including the obligations for app stores and developers to implement age rating systems, requirements for parental consent for app downloads and in-app purchases, and duties to revoke access when app content changes. The Court found that SB 2420 constitutes content-based regulation and applied strict scrutiny, determining that the state had not demonstrated a compelling interest and that the law was not the least restrictive means to achieve its objective. Certain provisions were also found to be vague, including those relating to liability for misrepresenting age ratings and notifying of “significant changes.”