Spain puts temporary ban on Worldcoin eyeballs scans, citing concerns over privacy
Spain’s privacy watchdog has ordered for Worldcoin to cease its operations for three months amid concerns over what it is doing with users’ personal information
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s privacy watchdog has ordered for Worldcoin, the company created by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that scans eyeballs to make digital IDs in exchange for crypto, to cease its operations in the country for three months amid concerns over what it is doing with users’ personal information.
The stated goal of Worldcoin is to give people a form of identification that could never be stolen or duplicated. It says the way it can do this is by creating a “World ID” by scanning someone’s eyeballs through “orbs” — a device that captures an image of their irises, the colored parts of the eyes.
In exchange, people who sign up get Worldcoin cryptocurrency.
Spain’s Agency for Data Protection told Worldcoin’s parent company Tools for Humanity Corporation on Wednesday to stop collecting personal data and keep hold of all information already collected.
