In A Nutshell:
Worldcoin, facilitated by Tools for Humanity and co-founded by OpenAI's Sam Altman, is pausing its activities in Spain until the end of the year or the completion of a GDPR audit by Germany's BayLDA. This decision follows regulatory scrutiny and efforts to address data privacy concerns surrounding its biometric-based World ID system.Worldcoin WLD is suspending its operations in Spain until the end of the year or until the Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA) completes its audit under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as stated in an official announcement. Tools for Humanity, a key contributor to Worldcoin co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has voluntarily agreed to extend the pause of Worldcoin orb activities in Spain.
Worldcoin aims to establish a system where individuals can verify their humanity by scanning their eyeballs with a Worldcoin orb to create a World ID, a digital identity that asserts their personhood. This initiative is viewed as crucial by Tools for Humanity and others anticipating a future internet populated heavily by AI agents and bots.
Concerns over data privacy have prompted scrutiny from various government agencies, including the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD), which initially ordered Worldcoin to halt operations in Spain earlier this year. The AEPD has reiterated its stance on the suspension, emphasizing Tools for Humanity's commitment to refrain from resuming activities in Spain pending the BayLDA's final decision.
Tools for Humanity has been collaborating with the BayLDA for over a year and has implemented measures to address privacy concerns. These include the rollout of "Personal Custody," which prevents new signups from storing biometric data, and offering existing users the option to delete their iris scan data. Additionally, Worldcoin now prohibits individuals under 18 from participating.
Despite these measures, Tools for Humanity remains focused on addressing regulatory concerns and safeguarding biometric data. A recent survey of World ID users in Spain indicated strong support for technologies like World ID in distinguishing between bots and humans online, with a majority favoring the project's continuation.
Thomas Scott, Chief Legal Officer of Tools for Humanity, expressed the organization's commitment to compliance and transparency in their operations.
