Privacy concerns force Worldcoin to erase iris scan data
Biometric technologies under scrutiny after Worldcoin data ruling.
Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has been instructed to delete all iris scan data collected during its operations. The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) confirmed the enforcement after collaborating with Bavaria’s data watchdog, which ruled the venture breached European Union privacy laws.
The project, designed to create a global identity system using biometric data, faced criticism across multiple countries. In March, Spain’s High Court upheld a temporary ban on the iris-scanning initiative, rejecting an appeal from Worldcoin’s owners.
Based in Bavaria, Germany, Worldcoin rebranded itself as ‘World’ and had aimed to reward participants with free cryptocurrency and digital IDs in exchange for biometric verification. Privacy advocates have voiced strong concerns over the storage and handling of sensitive data.
The directive marks a significant regulatory challenge for Worldcoin, reflecting the growing scrutiny of biometric technologies under Europe’s strict privacy standards. Compliance with the deletion order is now essential to align with the General Data Protection Regulation.
