Federal Appeals Court Blocks Texas Online Safety Law's Filtering Requirement
A federal appeals court has ruled to keep a Texas law partially blocked, which mandates apps and websites to protect children from harmful online content. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided that the law's filtering requirement is preempted by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides digital service providers with immunity from third-party content. This decision upholds a district court's injunction, favoring nonprofit organizations like the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice LLC, which include major tech companies such as YouTube, Meta, and X. The court found that another nonprofit, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, lacked standing in its challenge against the law's advertising and age verification requirements. However, the law's provision requiring Texans to register their age before accessing certain digital services remains enforceable. 
