Updates to CIPP/US Privacy Materials

by John Bandler

This page concerns updates to the U.S. Privacy and CIPP/US and privacy learning materials.

In this article we cover:

  • Updates since my online courses were recorded
  • Updates to the body of knowledge (BoK)
  • Updates to the coursebook, the principal text (Swire, Kennedy-Mayo, from the IAPP)

To navigate John's CIPP/US pages

1. Updates since my online courses were recorded

First, an important takeaway is that the CIPP/US body of knowledge (BoK, or testable material) does not change that much over the years. The core of the exam is basic U.S. law, government, information governance, and privacy, and that stays consistent over the years.

That means if you have access to one of my courses, it is still valid, even if it was recorded years ago.

My courses cover the priority items and are a limited number of hours. If I were to cover every detail in the CIPP/US BoK in a video course, that would be a hundred hours that no one would watch, and I would have to keep it more frequently updated. But since I cover the priority basics, and since those don't change as much, my courses remain valid. Then, you supplement your learning after you watched my course, with reading of other materials, source materials, and current events. (See Part 1 for these global references).

This means that learners of privacy and CIPP/US need not chase the latest update.

1.1 Updates since my Udemy course was recorded in 2022John Bandler’s CIPP US course at Udemy. Check for coupon codes and don’t overpay. Udemy does dynamic pricing.

I did an update video and updated the handout. Stay tuned for future update as I re-record each lecture, and see below.

1.2 Updates since my cybersecurity professional platform course was recorded in 2021 and 2026

For this subscription based learning platform geared for cybersecurity professionals, I first recorded the course in 2021, did a subsequent update video and updated the handout, and now (summer of 2026) am recording a complete update. Stay tuned for future update, see below.

1.3 Update issues to watch

As I update the materials completely in Summer 2026, these are things to watch:

  • Updated BoK (see next)
  • Updated coursebook (see next)
  • Lots of changes in our government since January 2025 with the start of the 2nd Trump Administration.
  • Lots of issues pending as of June 2026
    • This is unusual because I have not seen this level of change in our country ever, nor this level of change and uncertainty in CIPP/US related law and government entities
      • CISA expiration - temporary extension to 9/30/2026 - will they extend it beyond that?
      • FISA 702 expiration - expired as of June 2026 - need to watch - will they extend it, will they change terms of it?
      • Severe cutbacks in federal government starting January 2025 (firings/layoffs/cutbacks, reduction of career federal workers including those in privacy investigation and enforcement)
      • Some federal government departments/bureaus in question
        • Expressed desire to disband U.S. Department of Education, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, reductions in personnel and capabilities (including but not limited to regarding privacy enforcement)
        • Independence of certain "independent" commissions/bureaus and governance abilities called into question (stating it mildly)
          • FTC: firing of Democrat commissioners, vacancies
          • FCC: vacancies of commissioners, involvement of FCC in First Amendment issues
          • CFPB: No full time dedicated director, merely an "acting" director
          • And so forth
      • Reversal of Biden area executive orders, including on AI, but possibly on other areas that relate to international data transfer
      • Issuance of Trump executive order on AI, reversing concerns on risk and discrimination and etc., then another Trump executive order on AI adding some caution
      • Possible some will seek to advance a federal general privacy law, many issues there, including preemption issues.
        • "Preemption issue" meaning: would any future federal law preempt (supersede or replace) state laws.
      • Possible some will seek to advance a federal AI law, many issues there, including preemption issues.

2. Updates to the body of knowledge (BoK)

More details coming soon, but some basics include:

  • The core of the body of knowledge (BoK) from IAPP for CIPP/US remains the same and unchanged. Learners should focus on this solid core, and that's what my courses focus on.
    • Put differently, substance remains very similar
  • There have been developments in privacy and privacy law (obviously) which are reflected in the BoK and updated coursebook.
  • Cosmetic changes to body of knowledge (it looks very different now)
  • BoK now includes the exam blueprint within it, a nice timesaver (the exam blueprint indicated how many questions on which topics)
  • More words
  • Less of an outline format
  • Increased emphasis upon understanding (not just memorizing/regurgitating) which my courses already incorporated
  • Emphatic emphasis on "understanding"
    • In other words, don't just memorize to regurgitate.
    • Learn to understand
    • See my Course 1 materials on learning, scaffolding, layering, and my courses have always emphasized this.
    • Some might "teach the test" but I explain why that is not the way to learn
  • Change of a domain name (BoK II), which is a good change, but substance within the domain remains almost the same
  • More.

3. Updates to the coursebook, the principal text (Swire, Kennedy-Mayo, from the IAPP)

More details coming soon, but some basics include:

  • Third Edition (2020) to Fourth Edition (2024)
  • It's still a good book, as always, and it's better now
  • Continues what I liked about the third edition: Written simply and plainly, organized well, no fancy lawyer lingo, gives you simple layers up front. It's an organization and writing style similar to what I use in my last two books.
  • Size change! (I like it, more on this and why it matters to me later)
  • Still has endnotes not footnotes (most readers won't care about this, I understand why they did it this way, I'll tell you why I like it for my reading and books another way)
  • Organizational changes to chapters
  • 2024 publication date means it doesn't cover 2025 and after. That's a fact of life for any book and that's OK, but that's also why understanding is important, as well as paying attention to current events from reliable sources.
    • Privacy professionals (and concerned citizens) need to understand the basic laws, and monitor for changes, and assess current events
  • High price as always for a book (but remember it is a professional reference book, with a lot of expertise in it)
  • It's the principal text for the IAPP CIPP/US study
  • Ignore it at your own risk.
  • I recommend it and used it for my research for my original course and for my refresh updates.

4. My courses and resources

I have created two online courses to help people learn about privacy and prepare for this certification exam.

I walk through my learning resources in this video: About John's Learning Resources on Privacy and CIPP/US Certification (in 8 minutes), https://youtu.be/Y8M7B5hh2jA. But since you found this page, you don't need to watch the video.

5. Links to John's 7 CIPP/US parts

This page is hosted at https://johnbandler.com/cippus/updates. Copyright John Bandler, all rights reserved. No claim to IAPP materials or legal references.

Page posted 6/22/2026, updated 07/01/2026.

These pages will always remain a work-in-progress and I cannot guarantee to keep them updated. Please contact me if you have an update, suggestion, or correction. If these free resources helped you, please consider this.