Worldcoin’s digital ID project (“World”) is pushing back after the Philippines’ privacy regulator ordered it to stop collecting biometric data in the country. The Philippine National Privacy Commission issued a cease-and-desist against Tools for Humanity (Worldcoin’s developer) last week, citing violations of local data laws and concerns over how Worldcoin’s eye-scanning “Orb” enrollments entice users with payments.
In response, World said it will appeal the order and filed a motion for reconsideration, arguing that its World ID only proves “humanness” and doesn’t store personal details like names or addresses. The company expressed alarm at the sudden ban after it had spent a year working with government agencies on compliance.
World insists that user privacy is protected (biometric hashes are saved, not raw iris images) and that offering free crypto tokens for sign-ups doesn’t invalidate consent. The NPC disagrees with this point, calling the practice unduly influential.
World’s local operator in Manila noted the project had been greenlit to launch in the Philippines back in February and even drew long lines of Filipinos eager to get verified. Earlier coverage showed Worldcoin reached 10M global users despite scrutiny in countries like Kenya and Germany.
Now, with the Philippines Orb operations on hold, Worldcoin is working with authorities to clarify its data practices and potentially lift the suspension. Privacy officials, however, remain wary of “function creep” and the notion of crypto compensation for biometric data. The showdown in the Philippines marks one of the most significant regulatory challenges yet for Worldcoin’s ambitious proof-of-personhood scheme.
Sources: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
