A U.S. federal judge in Texas has blocked a law that required parental consent and age verification for minors to download apps on smartphones, ruling that it could violate free speech protections. Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction against the 'Texas App Store Accountability Act' just days before it was set to take effect on January 1st, describing it as overly broad and ambiguously worded. The order halts the law's enforcement while higher courts review the case. The ruling comes as governments face increasing challenges in regulating children's online activities amid growing concerns about social media addiction and exposure to inappropriate content. The Texas law would have been one of several similar state-level regulations, though Congress is considering a nationwide version, though pressure from Apple and others is currently hindering such efforts. This month, Australia banned users under 16 from using apps like Facebook, TikTok, and X, choosing a different approach than placing the age verification burden on app stores. The Texas law would have required Apple and Google's app stores to verify users' ages before allowing downloads and mandated that minors get parental permission for every app download or in-app purchase.
