In this week's post, we see that U.S. Representative Kathy Castor introduced proposed updates to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”). 

Plus, with countries still in need of COVID-19 vaccination availability, academics are pleading for acceptance of the proposed IP waiver to help stop the pandemic through freedom to operate and lessening of TRIPS licensing restrictions.

Proposed Updates to COPPA

In July, Representative Kathy Castor has proposed widespread changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) by introducing updates to the “Protecting the Information of our Vulnerable Children and Youth Act” (“Kids PRIVCY Act”). 

Perhaps, most significantly, the definition of “personal information” would newly include biometric, health, and education information. The definition would also be expanded to include physical characteristics, contents of messages and calls, and browser search history. It would also be expanded to include a new class to cover teenagers. 

Read more here.

Academics Join in Support of TRIPPS Intellectual Property Waiver Proposed by India and South Africa

In a letter, more than 100 IP academics have spoken out in favor of a TRIPS Intellectual Property Waiver Proposal brought forth by India and South Africa. The United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the European Union all currently oppose the proposal. 

Find the full article here.

Click to read the previous Weekly IP Buzz on Thriving Attorney.

For more posts, see our Ideate blog for the latest news and insights into law, business, and culture.

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In addition to publishing Thriving Attorney, Darin M. Klemchuk is founder of Klemchuk LLP, a litigation, intellectual property, and transactional law firm located in Dallas, Texas. Click to read more about Darin Klemchuk's practice as an intellectual property lawyer. For more on the latest developments in IP law, see the blogs Ideate and IP Questions Answered.