World, formerly known as Worldcoin, announced plans to resume iris scanning operations, for now, in Spain next year, according to information released by the newspaper elEconomista. Founded by Sam Altman, creator of ChatGPT, the company faces accusations of privacy violations, including collecting data from minors in countries like Portugal.
World uses technology to scan the human iris in exchange for cryptocurrencies, with the aim of creating a universal identification system that distinguishes humans from bots and artificial intelligence. However, this method has generated controversy since its global launch in 2023, leading to the suspension of operations in several countries.
Damien Kieran, who took over leadership of the company after the start of operations in Spain, stated that significant changes were implemented to protect users’ privacy. “Now, we take photos of the iris, generate a unique code for each user, encrypt and delete any personal data,” he declared.
Additionally, World introduced a new feature, “World ID Credentials,” which prioritizes identity verification through NFC-enabled passports, reducing the need for iris scans. This system is already active in countries such as the United States, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, but there is no plan for implementation in Portugal.
History of controversies
In March 2023, the National Data Protection Commission () in Portugal suspended the company’s use of iris scanning for 90 days, following reports of inappropriate practices, including the collection of data from minors without parental consent and failures in the possibility of delete data or revoke consent. The measure was accompanied by an investigation led by the German authority BayLDA, the results of which have not yet been released.
Despite criticism, World maintains its goal of expanding globally, including in markets such as Latin America. The return to Spain marks a new chapter, now with promises of greater privacy protection and combating online fraud.
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