Portugal Halts Worldcoin's Biometric Data Collection over Privacy Concerns
Summary:
Portugal's National Data Protection Commission (CNPD) has imposed a temporary ban on Worldcoin's Orb devices, which collect biometric data. The move aims to safeguard citizen rights, particularly those of minors. The foundation of Worldcoin faces a series of global regulatory complaints, following alleged illegal data collection from minors and violations of GDPR rules. Despite these challenges, Worldcoin has assured it complies with the law in all its operational regions and plans to introduce privacy features to enhance user control over personal data.
Portugal's National Data Protection Commission (CNPD) has declared a temporary ban on the use of Worldcoin's Orb devices for biometric data collection within the nation. This is a cautionary move by the CNPD to safeguard the rights of its population, especially minors. With immediate effect, the restriction will last until the end of a currently ongoing inquiry, first started on March 8. Worldcoin links individuals to digital IDs and its own cryptocurrency through iris-scans carried out by Orb devices. OpenAI’s CEO and co-founder, Sam Altman, instituted Worldcoin. The firm claims that it has over 4.5 million sign-ups from 120 countries, with 300,000 coming from Portugal alone.
The CNPD has implemented these restrictions based on “scores of reports” suggesting unauthorized biometric data acquisition from minors. The CNPD highlighted the high risk to citizens’ fundamental rights in the current context of illegitimate processing of minors’ biometric data and possible contraventions of specific GDPR rules. Thus, an urgent intervention was necessary to avert severe or irrecoverable damage. CNPD's president, Paula Meira Lourenço, endorsed the action as "necessary and justified" for the effective protection of public interest, particularly the rights of minors.
The issue was directed to the Worldcoin Foundation, the organization running the Worldcoin data collection project. This is in addition to a series of other regulatory complaints across the globe. The Kenyan government is sustaining its prohibition on the project, warranting pressure from the United States for leniency. Spanish legal bodies too have instructed Worldcoin to terminate its activities due to complaints about consent withdrawal by local users and data collection from minors.
Notwithstanding the prohibitions, Worldcoin declared on March 18 that it upholds the law in all operational locales and is designed to conform to relevant legal regulations. Likewise, on March 22, Worldcoin stated it would be transparent about its software source and introduce a new privacy feature to enhance users' control over their personal data.
Published At
3/26/2024 4:24:57 PM
Disclaimer: Algoine does not endorse any content or product on this page. Readers should conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the asset, company, or any information in this article and assume full responsibility for their decisions. This article should not be considered as investment advice. Our news is prepared with AI support.
Do you suspect this content may be misleading, incomplete, or inappropriate in any way, requiring modification or removal?
We appreciate your report.