Kenya’s High Court has ordered Worldcoin, Sam Altman’s World Web3 project, to erase the biometric data it collected from Kenyan citizens. The court ruled that the project failed to secure proper consent from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) before scanning Kenyans’ eyes to issue World IDs.
Worldcoin, a US-based initiative, seeks to provide “World IDs” to individuals globally, acting as a proof of personhood. However, the project faced scrutiny in Kenya due to concerns about data privacy and the methods used to collect biometric information. As of now, neither Worldcoin nor Altman has responded to the court’s decision. The ruling underscores the importance of adhering to data protection regulations and securing informed consent when collecting sensitive personal data, especially in developing nations.
