Since its launch, the “Worldcoin” project has faced many legal challenges, especially since it directly relates to users’ vital information, as the iris of the eye is scanned directly to verify and build a digital identity.
Recently, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) in Hong Kong concluded its investigation into the “Worldcoin” project, and determined that its operations in the city violated the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance (PDPO).
Privacy Commissioner Chung Lai-ling issued an enforcement notice to Worldcoin, demanding an immediate halt to all activities involving scanning and collecting iris and facial images using iris scanning devices.
Investigation of data privacy practices:
PCPD launched its investigation in January 2024 to assess whether Worldcoin’s identity verification methods pose significant risks to personal data privacy and comply with PDPO requirements.
The investigation included ten undercover visits to six operations sites from December 2023 to January 2024.
The investigation found that collecting facial images was not necessary to verify the humanity of participants.
Iris scanning operators can perform this verification in person at operating sites, making the additional step of scanning or collecting facial images redundant.
The Worldcoin project, which launched in 2021 and has more than two million global users, faces regulatory pressure over privacy issues.
