Worldcoin, a digital identity scanning startup co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has been notified about the need to stop its operations in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) published a press release last Wednesday, May 22, which contains information that the mentioned company was directed to stop scanning and collecting images of the iris and faces of members of the public. It was also noted in this press release that the Hong Kong police found that Worldcoin violated the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO).
The company, in response to a media request for comments on the specified decision, expressed disappointment with the actions of PCPD. The official statement of the firm notes that Worldcoin operates within the framework of practices that comply with the laws. The company also noted that its business strategy was designed not to violate the norms of legislation, including PDPO.
Moreover, in the mentioned statement, Worldcoin underlined that as part of efforts to prepare humanity for the era of artificial intelligence, the privacy bar is being raised by minimizing data, controlling users over information and advanced technologies, including personal custody, deletion of the iris code and secure multi-party computing. Separately, the company noted that the Hong Kong authorities did not pay attention to the specified aspects in their assessment of the humanness verification process.
PCDP claims that during the investigation it was found that in the framework of Worldcoin’s activities in Hong Kong, the faces and irises of more than 8000 people were scanned for verification. It is also noted that the company informed these people that after passing the mentioned procedure, they would be able to receive free tokens at regular intervals.
The Hong Kong Police issued a press release urging citizens to report cases of Worldcoin using their iris-scanning devices.
In 2021, the company, announcing the raising of $25 million in financing from investors, constanted the desire to expand the reach of cryptocurrencies and financial services in general by providing users with the mentioned scanning procedure.
As we have reported earlier, Worldcoin Strikes Off-Ramp Agreement to Convert WLD Into Fiat.
Serhii Mikhailov
Serhii’s track record of study and work spans six years at the Faculty of Philology and eight years in the media, during which he has developed a deep understanding of various aspects of the industry and honed his writing skills; his areas of expertise include fintech, payments, cryptocurrency, and financial services, and he is constantly keeping a close eye on the latest developments and innovations in these fields, as he believes that they will have a significant impact on the future direction of the economy as a whole.
