Overview
- U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction on Dec. 23, stopping Texas from enforcing SB 2420 before its Jan. 1, 2026 start date.
- Pitman likened the statute to forcing bookstores to check every shopper’s age and require parental consent for minors, and he flagged provisions as overbroad and vague.
- The suits by the Computer & Communications Industry Association and a student group with two teens argued the law would restrict protected speech and compel broad collection of sensitive data.
- SB 2420 would require app stores to verify every user’s age, obtain parental consent for minors to download apps or make in‑app purchases, and in some implementations rely on government ID checks.
- Texas can appeal to the Fifth Circuit, and reporters noted the state has signaled it will do so as similar state measures and congressional proposals keep the broader policy fight active.