U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas
Appears in 2 stories
U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas - Issued preliminary injunction blocking Texas SB 2420
On Christmas Eve 2024, a federal judge blocked Texas from forcing Apple and Google to verify every user's age before they could download apps. It was the latest casualty in a nationwide wave of age verification laws—over half of U.S. states passed them in two years—that kept running into the same problem: judges said they violated the First Amendment. Just nine days earlier, courts struck down age verification schemes in Louisiana and Arkansas on the same day, part of a December 2025 blitz that killed three state laws in two weeks. But in late November, the 11th Circuit handed states their first major victory, allowing Florida to enforce HB 3, which bans social media accounts for children under 14.
Updated Dec 27, 2025
A federal judge blocked Texas from forcing Apple and Google to verify every app store user's age, calling the law akin to requiring ID checks at bookstore doors. The December 2024 ruling is the latest defeat in a wave of state attempts to age-gate the internet. Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Utah have all seen their social media age verification laws struck down as unconstitutional. But Florida scored a rare victory in November when the 11th Circuit allowed its under-14 ban to take effect while appeals continue—the first state law to survive preliminary challenges.
Updated Dec 26, 2025
No stories match your search
Try a different keyword
The week's most important stories, delivered every Monday. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
How would you like to describe your experience with the app today?
