Updates to CIPP/US Privacy MaterialsJohn’s CIPP/US Privacy Updates – infographic Updates to Body of Knowledge (BoK), coursebook, law, current events. https://johnbandler.com/cippus/updates/

by John Bandler

This page concerns updates to the U.S. Privacy and CIPP/US and privacy learning materials, including a companion video from my YouTube which is also embedded below.

In this article we cover:

  • Updates since my online courses were recorded
    • Touching on updates in current events and law (not addressed in coursebook or BoK)
  • 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 and solid, 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).

Also, CIPP/US is for privacy professionals who understand, not who just regurgitate. Build that understanding and knowledge within yourself, plus the confidence that goes with it. Professionals follow current events, and are critical listeners, readers, and thinkers. When you have that understanding of the basics and follow current events, you will be able to assess recent developments and news to see how that affects things.

All of this means that learners of privacy and CIPP/US need not chase the course with the latest update.

1.1 Updates since my Udemy course was recorded in 2023John Bandler’s CIPP US course at Udemy. Check for coupon codes and don’t overpay. Udemy does dynamic pricing. (opens in new tab)

I did an update video, and have updated the handout, and now these webpages, but it's time to re-record all those videos. On 8/23/2026, I started that process and it will take time. As of 9/19/2026 I am through Part 2, video 2.6 with all new videos.

My editing skills are a little improved with this update compared to in 2023. In 2023 I had essentially no editing skills, and you hear longer pauses and misspeaks. Now, I am taking the extra time to edit each lecture to remove my longer pauses and the worst of my misspeaks and mistakes. It also triples the time it takes to record and publish these videos.

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) recorded a complete update. That will be on their platform soon, they tell me in October 2026. If you already have a subscription to this platform, you are set.

1.3 Update issues to watch

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

  • Updated BoK (see next)
  • Updated coursebook (see next)
  • Enormous 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 June 2026, still expired as of 8/22/2026 - 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, the executive branch indicates it wants to shut them down
        • 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
      • EEOC and discrimination: upending many years of consensus on who needed more protection (e.g. do we look all the way back to our history of slavery, voting rights, civil rights, or just look back a few years for "DEI" issues?)
      • PPA (Privacy Protection Act): The law says one thing, but why did the administration do something else?
      • 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 risks and discrimination and etc., then another Trump executive order on AI adding some caution on security risks
      • 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)

Some basic takeaways on the latest version of the BoK 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.
    • In other words, the substance remains very similar
  • There have been developments in privacy and privacy law (obviously) which are reflected in the BoK and updated coursebook.
  • Considerable 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 document now tells us how many questions on each topic.
  • More words! Greatly increased word count. Don't let that intimidate you, we go through it.
  • Less of an outline format, now full sentences and paragraphs. (more words)
  • Increased emphasis upon understanding (not just memorizing/regurgitating). My courses already incorporated that principle.
  • 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.

I still have some minor quibbles about organization and what is covered where, but it is still a solid coverage of basic law, basic privacy, and basic information governance. So I go through the BoK, and sometimes touch on concepts in more than one place. The repetition solidifies learning and allows me to make sure things are covered where I think they should be mentioned.

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

Some basics on the changes 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! It's now 9"x6", my favorite book size (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(opens in new tab). But since you found this page, you don't need to watch the video.

I walk through these update basics in the below video.

5. Updates takeaway

Don't let changes stress you out, focus on the basics of learning. Learn the basics of law, privacy, and information governance, and learn it to understand.

Then you can chase the latest updates.

6. Links to John's 7 CIPP/US Parts plus more

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 09/19/2026.

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