Brazil’s National Data Protection Agency (“ANPD”) launched a public consultation on proposed changes to its regulatory oversight framework, reflecting the agency’s expanding role in overseeing data protection, online safety, and digital platforms.

Click here to read the full alert on cov.com.

Continue Reading Brazilian Government Opens Consultation on Regulatory Oversight of Data Privacy and Online Protection

California’s new cybersecurity audit requirements under the CCPA are approaching, and companies that collect or process California residents’ personal information should be preparing now. Covington has been helping clients navigate these requirements in real time and has developed practical readiness materials, scoping frameworks, and benchmarking insights that companies can leverage…

Continue Reading CCPA Cyber Audits: Why Companies Should Prepare Now

Today the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued an unusual press release that may signal stepped up enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). In the press release, DOJ reminded the public of FARA’s requirements and warned of potential “civil and criminal liability” for noncompliance. In this alert…

Continue Reading DOJ Issues Press Release Regarding Liability for Unregistered Foreign Agents

On September 9, 2026, the FCC released a draft Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) titled “Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.”  The draft has been circulated for consideration by the FCC at its September 30, 2026 open meeting.

The draft R&O and FNPRM address a range of consent revocation issues under the TCPA that have been pending before the agency since the last time the FCC promulgated rules in this area in 2024.  If adopted, the R&O will narrow the scope of consent revocations in the context of informational calls and texts.

Continue Reading FCC Releases Draft Rules and Proposals on TCPA Consent Revocation

Former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black has taken the unusual step of filing a lawsuit seeking to preclude the House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from enforcing subpoenas the Committee issued in its investigations related to Jeffrey Epstein.  Black’s complaint, which challenges the Committee’s authority to enforce its subpoenas through civil litigation, poses a question that was left unresolved by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2021.  Though the court may ultimately decline to reach that question in the present litigation, the case presents an intriguing opportunity to clarify the ability of House committees to compel compliance with investigative demands.

Continue Reading New Lawsuit Raises Unresolved Questions About House Civil Subpoena Enforcement

In recent months, children’s online safety and privacy have moved to the top of the EU’s digital agenda. The European Commission is expected to outline its proposal on minors’ access to social media this week, a potentially significant development that would build on the recommendations of the Commission’s Special Panel…

Continue Reading Horizon Scan: Children’s Online Safety and Privacy (EU and Beyond)

Late Friday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of the Fourth Circuit’s decision setting aside the FCC Media Bureau’s guidance on entitlement to the lowest unit charge (“LUC”) for certain political ads placed on broadcast TV and radio.  See our prior post about this issue here.  Notably…

Continue Reading Supreme Court Action Revives FCC Media Bureau’s Political Ad Guidance

On September 3, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) voted to propose rescinding in its entirety Rule 206(4)-5 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the agency’s longstanding “pay-to-play rule” applicable to investment advisers. If finalized, the proposal would eliminate the most significant federal political law compliance regime for…

Continue Reading SEC Proposes to Repeal Longstanding Pay-to-Play Restrictions on Investment Advisers

On August 28, 2026, the California Legislature unanimously passed Assembly Bill 2244 (AB 2244) to establish a voluntary state certification program for non-ultraprocessed foods (non-UPF). Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30, 2026, to sign or veto the measure. If enacted, AB 2244 would direct the California Department of Public…

Continue Reading California Passes Bill to Create State Seal for “Non-Ultraprocessed” Foods

The global biotechnology landscape is evolving at an unprecedented speed, driven by advances in synthetic biology and genome editing, which, coupled with AI, make biotechnology stand at the forefront of innovation.  These developments offer unprecedented opportunities for advancing health and protecting against biological threats, but also make biotechnological misuse faster, cheaper, and more accessible.  For that reason, the European Commission has proposed the introduction of a new Union-level framework on biodefence and the prevention of biotechnology misuse in the European Biotech Act (the “Biotech Act”).

Continue Reading The Proposed EU Biotech Act: New Biosecurity Rules for Artificial Intelligence and Biotechnology Companies