Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Texas did enact the App Store Accountability Act, but it did not “just” pass: Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 2420 on May 27, 2025. The law took effect on January 1, 2026. After a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement, the Fifth Circuit restored it while an appeal proceeds; the Supreme Court declined to undo that interim order. The law is therefore enforceable for now, but it has not received a final ruling on its constitutionality.
Tim Cook’s personal effort to stop the bill also needs a qualification: 9to5Mac reported that he called Abbott to urge a veto. Apple’s public statements confirm its opposition to the law, but do not independently confirm that specific call.
What happened, and when?
Texas SB 2420, formally called the App Store Accountability Act, became law after Abbott signed it on May 27, 2025. Its stated aim is to give parents oversight of minors’ app downloads and purchases. The law’s original effective date was January 1, 2026.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 27, 2025 | Abbott signed SB 2420. |
| January 1, 2026 | The law’s effective date arrived. |
| December 23, 2025 | A federal district court issued preliminary injunctions blocking enforcement. |
| June 4, 2026 | The Fifth Circuit stayed the injunction pending appeal, allowing enforcement to proceed. |
| July 6, 2026 | The Supreme Court declined to vacate the Fifth Circuit’s stay. |
The last two steps did not decide whether the law is constitutional. They leave it in force during the ongoing challenge. The Supreme Court did not “uphold” SB 2420 on the merits. See the Texas legislative history, the Fifth Circuit order, and the Supreme Court docket.
#1 Best Overall
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
What the law requires
SB 2420 creates a shared system of age and consent checks involving app-store operators and app developers. It applies to app stores operating in Texas and developers distributing software through app stores, subject to the statute’s definitions and requirements. Apple’s App Store and Google Play are prominent examples, but the law is not written solely for those two companies.
The statute divides users into four age categories: children under 13, younger teenagers ages 13–15, older teenagers ages 16–17, and adults ages 18 or older. App-store operators must use a “commercially reasonable” method to verify a user’s age category when an account is created. For a minor, the store must associate the account with a parent or guardian account, verify the adult’s status and legal authority to make decisions for the minor, provide notice of an app’s age rating, and obtain parental consent for covered downloads and purchases. The law also requires records of consent and revocation and safeguards for personal data collected for these purposes.
Developers have duties too. They must use age-category and consent information supplied by the app store, implement a system to verify users’ age categories and determine whether required parental consent exists, and notify the store before making a “significant change” to an app’s terms of service or privacy policy. That phrase is a legal standard, not a synonym for every routine software update. The statute’s full requirements are in the Texas Business and Commerce Code, Chapter 121.
Rank #2
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Does every user have to upload a government ID?
No universal ID-upload rule appears in the statute. It requires a commercially reasonable age-verification method but does not prescribe one document or technology. A platform might rely on account details, a parent-account relationship, a third-party age-assurance service, an identity document, or another approach. Whether a particular method satisfies the law is a separate question, and platforms’ choices determine what information users are actually asked to provide.
That distinction is central to the privacy debate. Apple warned that the law could lead to sensitive personal information being collected from people downloading ordinary apps. The statutory obligation is age-category verification; a government ID is one possible implementation, not a stated requirement for every person or every download.
What Texas users and parents may notice
For minors, the law puts the app store between a user and covered app activity: a parent or guardian may need to be linked to the account, receive rating information, and approve downloads or applicable purchases. Apple has described consent requirements for downloads, app purchases, and transactions using its In-App Purchase system; that is Apple’s implementation description, not a substitute for the statute’s wording.
Rank #3
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Adults are not outside the framework. Because stores must place users into age categories, adults may encounter age assurance or account friction even when seeking ordinary apps. The law does not categorically ban minors from downloading apps; it establishes age and parental-consent controls for covered activity.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsExisting installations require care. The law regulates apps made available through stores and the duties of stores and developers, but a court filing noted that predownloaded apps such as Apple Music or iMessage were not covered in the manner alleged in the case. That does not guarantee that every existing app will continue without interruption: updates, new downloads, purchases, account changes, and a platform’s account rules can affect the experience.
Practical details can vary by account and household. A parent who does not use the same platform, shared devices, multiple guardians, a change of household, revoked consent, or inaccurate age or location information can complicate setup. The law calls for legal authority, not merely an adult tapping an approval button. Platform procedures also determine how Texas status is identified; the statute should not be reduced to an assumption that an IP address alone controls coverage. Apple’s initial implementation notice and later update describe Apple-specific measures. They do not establish Google Play’s current procedures.
Rank #4
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
Why Apple opposed the law—and what is known about Cook
Apple said it supports improving children’s online safety but objected to Texas’s approach. Its concerns include the possibility of collecting sensitive personal information from all users, including adults using ordinary apps; the handling of age-related information by developers; and added friction for customers and developers. The company’s argument is that making app stores the age-and-consent gatekeepers can create privacy and operational burdens beyond the direct parent-child interaction.
According to 9to5Mac’s reporting, Cook personally called Abbott and urged him to veto SB 2420 after Apple’s broader lobbying effort. Apple’s public-policy page says its executive leadership, including the CEO, participates in high-level advocacy decisions, but it does not confirm this particular call. The specific call should therefore be understood as reported, not as established by an official public record.
Apple opposed the law and pursued a legal challenge through industry litigation, but with enforcement restored on an interim basis, it has also had to prepare compliance measures. That is not an endorsement of the statute; it is the practical consequence of the current court orders.
Best Value
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- ACTIVATION Promotion: Includes 1500 min, 1500 texts & 1500 MB Data + add more as you need it
- CAMERA SYSTEM: 50MP Quad Pixel camera. Capture sharper, more vibrant photos day or night with 4x the light sensitivity.
- PERFORMANCE: Blazing-fast Qualcomm performance. Get the speed you need for great entertainment with a Snapdragon 680 processor and 4GB of RAM.
- 64GB built-in storage. Get plenty of room for photos, movies, songs, and apps. Made for US
What developers should understand
For developers, the law makes the app store a source of age and consent signals that apps must use. That may avoid asking every app to independently repeat the same check, but it also makes developers dependent on platform systems, APIs, notifications, and account metadata. Teams need to account for consent status and age-category signals in covered experiences, and build a process to notify the store about significant changes to terms or privacy policies.
Specific implementation requirements can differ by platform and may evolve with court rulings. Apple has published Texas developer updates; no current official Google Play workflow is established here, so Android developers should consult Google’s current official documentation rather than assume Apple’s approach applies.
What remains unsettled
Several questions remain open while the constitutional case continues: what age-assurance methods platforms will use; how existing accounts and users moving into or out of Texas will be treated; what information developers receive; and how courts will interpret duties such as a “significant change.” Future appellate decisions could preserve, narrow, or invalidate provisions. For now, the reliable description is that SB 2420 is enforceable under an interim appellate order, not that it has survived final judicial review.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
