Judge blocks app store age verification law in Texas, NYT reports

A federal judge has blocked a Texas law requiring companies that run mobile app stores, like Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOGL), to verify ages of users, the New York Times’ Ryan Mac reports, citing the ruling. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the App Store Accountability Act, which was scheduled to take effect in January, arguing it likely violated the First Amendment. “It restricts access to a vast universe of speech by requiring Texans to prove their age before downloading a mobile app or accessing paid content within those apps and requires minors to obtain parental consent,” the judge wrote.