The Federal Trade Commission announced long-awaited amendments to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule on January 16, 2025, marking the first changes to the COPPA Rule since 2013. The amendments are the output of a rule review process that began in 2019 and a notice of proposed rulemaking announced in December 2023.

U.S. privacy law continued to expand in 2024, both geographically and substantively.  We now have 19 states with comprehensive consumer privacy laws (some of which are already in effect, while others become effective in 2025 and 2026). This recap focuses on the 10 state laws that were enacted or took effect this year, as well as the states that enacted meaningful updates.

In recent months, a wave of lawsuits has swept across the nation, targeting websites for allegedly violating state wiretapping laws through their use of tracking software.

After much anticipation, on November 8, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) Board voted to advance proposed regulations for insurance, cybersecurity audits, risk assessments, and automated decision-making technology (ADMT) to formal rulemaking. 

Last month, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) reintroduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), initially introduced last term, noting that the bill now has 62 cosponsors, bipartisan support, and is poised to pass in the Senate.

After a flurry of legislative activity across the United States related to kids' privacy and safety online, in recent weeks, federal courts in Arkansas and California have enjoined two notable state laws. 

The UK Online Safety Bill was passed by Parliament earlier this week and is expected to soon become law through royal assent. 

The Federal Trade Commission recently announced an enforcement order against edtech company Edmodo for allegedly violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.