Spanish authorities impose a three-month ban on Worldcoin amid ongoing investigations into the project's data collection practices.
Spain's data protection agency, AEPD, has imposed a temporary ban on the operations of Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, due to concerns over the collection and processing of personal data. The AEPD emphasized that the processing of biometric data, which is subject to special protection under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), entails high risks for individuals' rights. The ban, which lasts for up to three months, comes as part of an ongoing investigation into the project's practices.
The AEPD has received several complaints against the company, citing insufficient information, the collection of data from minors, and the inability of users to withdraw consent, among other alleged infringements.
Under the temporary ban, Worldcoin is required to cease collecting and processing personal data in Spain and refrain from using the information already gathered.
In response to the ban, Worldcoin's data protection officer, Jannick Preiwisch, stated that the AEPD's actions were "circumventing established procedures under GDPR" and were limited to Spain, not the broader EU. Preiwisch also claimed that the Spanish agency was spreading "inaccurate and misleading claims" about the project's technology.
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