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After a federal judge on Tuesday prohibited Texas to implement new age verification law in app stores, Apple has announced it will temporarily suspend previously announced plans as it continues to monitor “ongoing regulations.”
Apple said its previously announced age-verifying devices will remain under test and use.
The law, SB2420, or the App Store Accountability Act, would have required app stores, such as those run by Apple and Google, to verify the age of users and require parental consent for those under 18 to download apps or make purchases. In addition, it would require the age of birth to be shared by the manufacturer.
A judge, citing First Amendment concerns, blocked the implementation of the law that was supposed to take effect in January. The ruling was a victory for tech officials and a setback for Texas lawmakers, who said the fight would continue. The Texas attorney general’s office said in court that he wants to appeal the election, a report from Reuters said.
To comply with the upcoming law, Apple announced in October a list of new software features in Texas, which includes all users under the age of 18 must join the Family Sharing group, where parents or guardians will give permission for all App Store downloads, app purchases, and in-app activities. Parents may revoke their consent to the program at any time.
Apple also said its own Declared Age Range APItechnology that the company started to help comply with the growing number of age verification laws around the world, will be updated in the coming months to provide the required age groups for new account users in Texas. Apple plans to implement new APIs to allow developers to request parental consent if their app is heavily modified.
Apple opposed the law, and similar laws coming next year in Utah and Louisiana, on privacy grounds, not child protection.
“While we share the goal of promoting children’s online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 affects users’ privacy by requiring the collection of personally identifiable information to download any app, even if the user just wants to watch the weather or play a game,” Apple said. software announcement earlier this year.
Apple on Thursday announced that some of its new generation devices will remain subject to testing, including its own Declared Age Range API, Major API changes under PermissionKit, A brand new product in StoreKitand App Store Server Information. Additionally, the Declared Age Range API is still available globally through iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26, and later.
