In Santo Domingo, queues of people exchanging their iris scans for Worldcoin cryptocurrency were becoming more and more common. However, on November 14, the authorities decided to put a stop to it.
The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) ordered the immediate suspension of the company's activities due to alleged irregularities:
Abusive clauses in contracts.
Lack of registered office in the country, making claims difficult.
Possible violations of the Personal Data Protection Act.
7,478 Dominicans had already submitted their data
Pro Consumidor reported that thousands of people agreed to have their irises scanned. Now, authorities are investigating how that data is being handled and the terms of the relationship between users and the company.
For its part, Worldcoin, now known as "World," claims that its practices are legal and transparent, and that they comply with the highest privacy standards in all countries where they operate.
A global problem
The Dominican Republic is not the only country that has taken action against Worldcoin.
In Chile, the National Consumer Service has also suspended its operations.
In Spain, the Data Protection Agency has demanded that the use of collected data be stopped.
In Hong Kong, the company's offices were inspected for inappropriate use of biometric data.
What do the authorities say?
Pro Consumidor director Eddy Alcántara warned that Worldcoin's practices do not comply with the principles of transparency and clarity. Meanwhile, concerns about privacy and informed consent in the use of biometric data continue to grow worldwide.
What do you think?
Is Worldcoin a tool to "empower people" or a privacy risk? Let us know your opinion 👀.
