Fifth Circuit Backs Texas App Store Verification Law in Ken Paxton Appeal

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) secured a significant legal victory after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of allowing Texas's app store age verification law to move forward while litigation continues.

The law, Senate Bill 2420, was passed by the Texas legislature in 2025 and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott (R) on May 27 of that year. The measure requires major app store operators, including Apple and Google, to verify users' ages and provide parents with greater oversight of apps their children download.

A federal district court blocked the law in December 2025, prompting Paxton's office to appeal the decision. The Fifth Circuit has now ruled that the lower court's injunction should be stayed while it considers the Attorney General's request to keep the law in effect during the appeal process.

"Texas has not only the right, but the duty, to protect children from the harms of our modern digital space," said Paxton. "Parents deserve to know what their children are downloading and have the ability to stop them from accessing harmful or inappropriate content."

Under SB 2420, app store operators must use commercially reasonable methods to determine a user's age. Accounts belonging to minors must be linked to a parent or guardian account, and before a minor can download an application, parents must receive notice of the app's age rating and provide approval.

Supporters of the law argue that it gives families more control over their children's access to digital content and helps parents make informed decisions about what apps their children can download and use.

"I will continue protecting Texas children from online predators, exploitation, and dangerous content while defending parents' fundamental right to guide and protect their children," said Paxton.

The Fifth Circuit has not yet issued a final ruling on the merits of the case. However, the decision represents an early legal victory for Texas as the state seeks to enforce new parental consent requirements for app downloads involving minors.