Worldcoin Faces Temporary Ban in Spain Amid Privacy Concerns

Spain’s Data Protection Authority Halts Worldcoin’s Operations

The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has taken swift action against Tools for Humanity Corporation, the company behind the controversial Worldcoin project. In a precautionary measure, the AEPD has ordered Worldcoin to cease collecting and processing personal data in Spain and to block any data already collected.

Complaints Trigger AEPD’s Response

Since Worldcoin’s launch in the Spanish market last summer, the AEPD has received several complaints regarding the project’s data processing practices. These complaints raised concerns about the level of information provided to users, the collection of data from minors, and the inability to withdraw consent.

High Risks Associated with Biometric Data

The AEPD emphasized the sensitive nature of biometric data, which is granted special protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Processing such data entails high risks to individuals’ rights, prompting the AEPD to take immediate action to safeguard the fundamental right to personal data protection.

Worldcoin’s Controversial Approach

Founded by Sam Altman, Worldcoin aims to create a unique identifier called World ID, which verifies a person’s humanness online using iris scans. The project has faced criticism due to privacy and data protection concerns, given the sensitive nature of the data being processed, the irrevocable nature of the identifier, and the involvement of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Ongoing Investigations and Regulatory Scrutiny

Worldcoin’s operations have attracted the attention of European privacy regulators. An investigation initiated by France’s data protection authority was later passed to Bavaria’s DPA due to the presence of a Worldcoin subsidiary in Germany. The Bavarian authority is currently investigating the transparency and security of Worldcoin’s data processing practices.

We are always willing to engage with regulators, examine their feedback and answer their questions.

Despite the AEPD’s action, Worldcoin’s website still lists 29 locations in Spain where individuals can undergo eyeball scanning with the company’s proprietary orbs. Tools for Humanity, the for-profit technology company behind Worldcoin, did not confirm whether it has stopped eyeball-scanning in Spain but provided a statement from its Germany-based data protection officer, Jannick Preiwisch.

Worldcoin’s Response and Accusations

In his statement, Preiwisch claimed that World ID was created to provide access, privacy, and protection online, calling it “the most privacy preserving and safest solution for asserting humanness in the age of AI.” He accused the AEPD of circumventing EU law and spreading inaccurate and misleading claims about Worldcoin’s technology.

However, Article 66 of the GDPR allows supervisory authorities to adopt provisional measures locally for up to three months when there is an urgent need to protect the rights and freedoms of data subjects.

Setbacks and Suspensions

Worldcoin has faced setbacks in other countries as well. In December, it stopped scanning eyeballs in France, India, and Brazil, although the company portrayed this as a temporary scaling back. Kenya’s data protection authority issued a ban on Worldcoin’s local processing, and the country’s government ordered a suspension of scans, which remains in place.

Worldcoin.org’s website still listing 29 eyeball scanning locations in Spain today (Screengrab: Natasha Lomas/The Zero Byte)

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Worldcoin will navigate the regulatory landscape and address the concerns raised by data protection authorities worldwide.