Argentinian Regulator Adds to Pile of Worldcoin Investigations

The Argentine Agency for Access to Public Information (AAIP) has launched an investigation into Worldcoin, a startup focused on a global digital identity platform built on blockchain and biometric technologies.

AAIP’s move is in line with the requirement for entities like Worldcoin to register with the regulator and outline their security and privacy measures. While the AAIP hasn’t confirmed rule violations, it noted that Worldcoin’s actions gained “public notoriety” due to the scanning of registrants’ eyes in various cities. This development follows the Kenyan government’s suspension of Worldcoin’s activities amid overwhelming demand for its biometric registration efforts, raising concerns from data protection authorities in France, Germany, and the UK.

Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has introduced biometric “proof of personhood” verification for its digital identity platform, offering free cryptocurrency to users who undergo iris scans. In response to the suspension in Kenya, Worldcoin expressed its intent to collaborate with the government, enhance crowd-control measures, and resume operations. The startup emphasized its commitment to Kenyan regulations and its larger mission of creating a global “identity and financial network” accessible universally.

As the Kenyan and Argentinian investigations unfold, Worldcoin faces regulatory scrutiny in other countries as well. Germany’s data privacy watchdog has been investigating since November, expressing concerns over the extensive processing of sensitive biometric data without explicit consent. France’s CNIL and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office have also initiated inquiries into Worldcoin’s practices, highlighting the growing global regulatory interest in the startup’s activities.

Source: CoinDesk

–

August 11, 2023 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team