OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s Worldcoin project continues to raise privacy concerns and is now under investigation in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s data protection authority investigated six positions at Worldcoin, using a court order on Wednesday, local media HKET reported. They also asked operators to share relevant documents and information.
According to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Worldcoin raises significant concerns about personal data privacy and could breach data laws. It is noteworthy that the office launched an investigation into the project, taking into account the privacy of people’s data.
Privacy Commissioner Zhong Liling warned the public not to act casually when engaging in iris scanning activities, according to the report.
A Worldcoin spokesperson said the project is committed to complying with relevant laws and regulations related to personal data.
A Criptonoticias spokesperson said: “Worldcoin welcomes regulators, including the Office of the Personal Data Privacy Commissioner (PCPD), and consumers to make inquiries and request information or clarification about its software available to people in their communities, cities, countries or regions.” .
“This includes, but is not limited to, the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.”
Worldcoin was launched in Hong Kong in July 2023 and the project quickly attracted a large number of participants.
World App, Worldcoin’s cryptocurrency wallet app, has over 1 million active users and has garnered over 4 million downloads in just six months of its launch.
A vision for financial equality through crypto scholarship
Altman founded Worldcoin with the goal of implementing a universal basic income (UBI) system. The idea is that people receive recurring crypto giveaways as a guaranteed source of income.
The project uses a special device called an “Orb” to scan people’s eyes, ensuring that each cryptocurrency donation goes to a different person.
Operators responsible for celestial bodies carry out these scans to confirm people’s identities. Your job is to make sure everyone has a different Worldcoin digital wallet, preventing fraud.
The goal is to promote financial equality and make digital assets available to everyone, but the method of collecting biometric data has raised privacy concerns.
Worldcoin’s biometric data collection triggers global regulatory investigations
The project is under scrutiny not only in Hong Kong but also globally, with regulators around the world concerned about how the company manages biometric information. Germany, France and Britain have indicated their intention to investigate the project.
Even Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed reservations about the system used to verify human identities.
Last month, Worldcoin temporarily suspended its orb verification service in India, Brazil and France.