The Supreme Court on July 6, 2026, allowed a Texas law to take effect that requires parental permission before minors can download most apps. The law had been blocked by lower courts, but the Supreme Court cleared the way without explaining its reasoning. The real legal fight over whether the law is constitutional will now happen in the lower courts.

Texas passed the law in 2025. Under it, anyone under 18 needs parental approval to download apps like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, news apps, and library apps. The only exceptions are emergency apps (like 911 services) and apps linked to college entrance exams. Everything else requires a parent's sign-off.

A federal court in Texas initially blocked the law in December 2025, saying it stopped young people from accessing information and participating in online conversations. Another court later reversed that decision and allowed the law to take effect while the legal case continues.

Groups opposing the law — including tech industry associations and student organizations — asked the Supreme Court to block it. They said the law violates young people's constitutional right to free speech because it prevents them from accessing information without parental permission. Texas's attorney general argued the law only controls the act of downloading (a business transaction) and is not about free speech at all.

The Supreme Court did not say which side was right. Its ruling does not settle the constitutional question. Instead, it means the law is now in effect while the courts continue to decide if it is legal.

Texas is not alone. Utah, Louisiana, and Alabama have also passed similar laws requiring age verification for app stores. Whichever court issues a final ruling on Texas's law will likely set the standard that applies to all of these states, according to NPR.

In 2025, the Supreme Court upheld a different Texas law requiring age verification for adult websites. That case involved narrower content, but it suggested the courts are open to age-verification laws in general. Those challenging the app store law argue this case is different because it covers news, books, and other constitutionally protected information — not just content the government has traditionally been allowed to restrict.

The courts will now have to decide whether a law that limits minors' access to everyday information violates their constitutional rights. The lower courts still have the option of blocking the law based on free speech grounds, even though the Supreme Court already let it take effect.

For Apple and Google, the practical requirement is now clear: they must set up age-verification systems for Texas users or face penalties. The Supreme Court's decision does not say how they should do this or whether they will use the same system for users in other states.