The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has asked the US Supreme Court to block a Texas law requiring age verification at the app store level, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. The law, known as the App Store Accountability Act, would force app stores to verify the age of users and minors to link their app accounts to a parent or guardian, who must consent before they can download apps or make in-app purchases.
What Happened
The CCIA filed an emergency request with Justice Samuel Alito on June 18, 2026, asking the Supreme Court to vacate an order by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit allowing Texas' App Store Accountability Act to go into effect. The law was originally blocked by a federal district court judge in December 2025, but the Fifth Circuit lifted the injunction last week, allowing the law to take effect.
The CCIA argues that the law unconstitutionally requires app stores to police access to "vast amounts of online speech" by minors and adults alike. The organization is represented in the suit by Wilson Sonsini, Haynes and Boone, and Cooley LLP.
Background and Context
The App Store Accountability Act was passed last year in Texas, and similar laws have been enacted in other states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Utah. California has also passed a law requiring operating systems to communicate the age range of users to apps for compliance with child safety laws.
The CCIA is not alone in its opposition to the law. Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), a youth education nonprofit, has also filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to vacate the Fifth Circuit's order. The two cases are separate complaints but argue similarly that the age-verification law targeting app stores violates the First Amendment.
Why it Matters to the Industry
The CCIA argues that the law would force users to provide identification information in order to access lawful information, which is a violation of their rights under the First Amendment. The organization also claims that parents should retain the ability to make decisions about their children's use of technology, rather than governments imposing age-verification requirements.
This development has significant implications for the adult industry, where age verification and moderation are critical issues. If the law is allowed to take effect, it could lead to increased latency and scale challenges for platforms, as well as difficulties in moderating content and enforcing age-gating policies.
What Comes Next
The Supreme Court has requested a response from Texas by June 22 at 4 p.m. The CCIA is seeking an emergency stay of enforcement of the law until a Constitutional challenge to Texas' SB2420 is fully heard.
Key Facts
- The App Store Accountability Act requires app stores to verify the age of users and minors to link their app accounts to a parent or guardian, who must consent before they can download apps or make in-app purchases.
- The law was originally blocked by a federal district court judge in December 2025, but the Fifth Circuit lifted the injunction last week, allowing the law to take effect.
- The CCIA is seeking an emergency stay of enforcement of the law until a Constitutional challenge to Texas' SB2420 is fully heard.
- Similar laws have been enacted in other states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Utah.
- California has also passed a law requiring operating systems to communicate the age range of users to apps for compliance with child safety laws.
The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the adult industry, where age verification and moderation are critical issues. The CCIA's efforts to block the law highlight the ongoing debate over the role of government in regulating online speech and the balance between free expression and child protection.
