Worldcoin (WLD), a digital identity-based cryptocurrency project created by ChatGPT co-founder Sam Altman, is apparently under investigation by French authorities. Concerns about the Worldcoin project’s acquisition of biometric data have prompted the investigation. Worldcoin’s lo...
- Worldcoin has set up registration centers worldwide to collect biometric data.
- The French data protection body CNIL said it has begun investigating the matter.
Worldcoin (WLD), a digital identity-based cryptocurrency project created by ChatGPT co-founder Sam Altman, is apparently under investigation by French authorities. Concerns about the Worldcoin project’s acquisition of biometric data have prompted the investigation.
Worldcoin’s long-term goal is to develop an individual-empowerment-focused digital identification platform based on biometric data, including iris scans. In order to verify identities, Worldcoin has set up registration centers worldwide equipped with a shiny sphere called an “orb.”
Concerns Over Data Acquisition
When people get close to the sphere, they may have their faces scanned to collect biometric information, in this case for iris recognition. This data is used to create digital IDs that may then be used only by the user.
The Worldcoin method may seem attractive at first, but it has serious privacy and ethical implications that should be considered. According to a Reuters article, the French data protection authority CNIL said the method “appears questionable, as do the conditions for storing biometric data.”
The French data protection body CNIL said it has begun investigating the matter and has now learned that the German state of Bavaria has jurisdiction over it. Since then, the investigation has been led by Bavarian authorities with help from CNIL.
Concerns about the possible dangers of improperly managing biometric data are reflected in the authorities’ statement. Following Worldcoin’s introduction, the UK’s data regulator has declared that it will conduct an investigation into the cryptocurrency.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has voiced similar worries about the possibility of misuse and privacy issues. The continuing investigation into Worldcoin’s gathering of biometric data demonstrates the critical importance of privacy and data security in the modern digital era.
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