Tech industry advocates say a recent federal court ruling striking down Texas’ social media age verification law should serve as a warning to other states considering similar legislation. The ruling has energized the industry’s efforts to challenge comparable laws across the country.
Stephanie Joyce, senior vice president of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, said the organization’s successful lawsuit against the Texas law demonstrates the constitutional risks such measures face. The association’s members include Google and Apple.
“Our biggest job is to ensure that states understand the risks under the First Amendment,” Joyce said, indicating that similar laws are likely to face legal challenges.
The Texas law would have required social media platforms to verify users’ ages before allowing access. Tech companies and student advocates successfully argued the measure violated children’s First Amendment rights by restricting their access to information.
Apple referenced a December letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee warning that age-verification laws could undermine privacy by “forcing millions of adults to surrender their private information for the simple act of downloading an app.” Google declined to comment on the ruling.
Adam Sieff, a lawyer with Davis Wright Tremaine who represented students challenging the Texas law, said comparable measures in Utah and Louisiana will face the same constitutional issues. He argued that minors possess constitutional rights that extend nearly as broadly as those of adults regarding viewing and accessing information.
The Trump administration’s recent executive order aimed at limiting state AI regulation has also motivated lawmakers to pursue technology restrictions, according to policy observers. The combination of federal action and the Texas court victory has created competing pressures as states weigh technology oversight measures.
