👁️🚨The European Union has taken firm action against Worldcoin, the ambitious cryptocurrency project that scans people’s irises to create a unique digital ID. 🛡️🇪🇺
What has happened?
Investigation in Germany: The Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA) has determined that Worldcoin has violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by collecting and storing biometric data without the explicit consent of users. 🇩🇪🔍
Scope of collection: Since its launch in Europe in July 2023, Worldcoin is estimated to have scanned the irises of approximately 3.5 million people in the region. 👁️📊
Key EU decisions:
Data deletion: Worldcoin has been ordered to delete all iris codes stored since the start of the project, as they were collected without the necessary security measures for the processing of biometric data. 🗑️⚠️
Explicit consent: Any future processing of iris data must be based on the explicit consent of the data subjects, guaranteeing their right to data deletion. ✍️✅
Protection of minors: Worldcoin has been pointed out as not having implemented adequate measures to prevent the processing of data of minors, which will be the subject of further investigation. 👶🚫
What is Worldcoin?
Worldcoin is a project launched in 2019 with the aim of creating universal access to the global economy. Its operation is based on two pillars:
Cryptocurrency: It offers tokens to users in exchange for scanning their iris. 💰👁️
Digital identification: It uses a device called “Orb” to scan eyes and create a unique digital ID, known as World ID, which allows identity verification without sharing personal data such as names or emails. 🌐🔒
Reactions and next steps:
Worldcoin: The company has stated that it had already voluntarily deleted iris data and that it only uses anonymized data stored by trusted third parties for the operation of its World ID service. 🗣️🔍
Authorities: The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has actively cooperated with the BayLDA in this investigation, reinforcing the protection of the personal data of European citizens. 🇪🇸🤝
This case highlights the importance of complying with privacy and data protection regulations in innovative technological projects. The collection and use of sensitive biometric data requires strict security measures and explicit consent from users to ensure their rights and freedoms. 🛡️👤
