Apple must continue verifying the age of iPhone users in Texas after the Supreme Court rejected a request to pause enforcement of the state’s app store age verification law. The decision means Apple and other app store operators must continue to follow the rules while the legal challenge continues.
The Texas law requires app stores to verify that users are adults and obtain parental consent before minors download, purchase, or make in-app purchases. It also applies to existing app use, which makes the law broader than a simple download restriction.
Apple opposed the law strongly because it places more responsibility on app stores instead of leaving age checks only to individual apps. Tim Cook also personally lobbied Texas Governor Greg Abbott as Apple pushed back against the measure.
The law affects users who create a new Apple Account in Texas. These users must confirm whether they are 18 or older, and Apple can verify some accounts automatically in certain cases.
Developers also face new duties under the law because they need to understand the age range of users and apply the correct safety rules inside their apps. Apple provides tools to help developers handle those requirements.
The Supreme Court denied the request in a brief order, so Texas can continue enforcing the law for now.
