A WorldBiometric ID company co -founded by OpenAi CEO Sam Altman, announced the temporary interruption of its services in Brazil after National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) deny an administrative resource and maintain the collection of biometric data in the country.
The ANPD decision, published on Tuesday (11) in the Federal Official Gazette, reinforces the prohibition of cryptocurrency payment (Worldcoin, or WLD) or any other form of compensation for users who verify identity by reading the iris. In addition, the regulatory agency rejected the World’s request to extend the period of compliance with the suspension for another 45 days, determining its immediate application.
The World must prove the interruption of benefit offer within 10 business days, upon formal declaration of a company representative. The ANPD pointed out that the suspension will remain until an appropriate technical solution is implemented to ensure compliance with Brazilian data protection standards.
WORLD Answer
Given the decision, World announced the voluntary and temporary break from its verification service in Brazil. In a statement, the company stated to respect the determination of ANPD and will need time to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
“To allow the World to complete the changes in coordination with ANPD and guarantee compliance during this process, we are voluntarily and temporarily pausing the check service,” the company said. Despite the suspension, World physical spaces will remain open to provide information to the public.
What is World?
Previously known as WorldCoin, World is a startup that seeks to create a global identity verification system based on iris biometric reading. Its goal is to differentiate humans from artificial intelligences (AI) and offer a decentralized digital identity model.
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The project, co -founded by Altman and led by CEO Alex Blania, gained notoriety by using a device called orb, which scanns people’s eyes to generate a unique identifier. The company argues that this technology is fundamental to avoid digital fraud and counterfeiting, especially in the face of the growing sophistication of deepfakes of it.
In addition to identification, World had been offering financial incentives to users who performed biometric verification, distributing the WorldCoin cryptocurrency (WLD). This business model was one of ANPD’s main contest points, which raised concerns about data protection and possible risks to Brazilian users.
