The controversial iris-scanning identity technology, World, has been banned in parts of Europe due to privacy concerns.
World, formerly known as Worldcoin, was co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman. Its biometric technology scans irises to create a secure digital identity that verifies individuals as human, not AI. However, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA) found its practices to violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
On Thursday, BayLDA concluded its investigation and ordered World to delete non-compliant user data. BayLDA president Michael Will emphasised that the decision protects European privacy rights, offering users the ability to enforce their right to data erasure.
World’s technology, built by San Francisco-based Tools for Humanity, uses an eye-scanning device called the ‘Orb’. While headquartered in the US, World’s European operations are based in Bavaria, Germany. Despite the ruling, World has appealed, questioning GDPR’s definition of anonymisation and asking for judicial clarity on its privacy technologies.
Damien Kieran, World’s chief privacy officer, defended the technology, claiming it now ensures data privacy through advanced cryptographic methods. Personal data is split into three encrypted codes and stored by third parties, including leading universities.
Although World no longer stores user data, critics remain sceptical. Spain and Portugal banned the project earlier this year, citing similar privacy concerns. Despite this, the technology remains active in countries like the US, Germany, and Japan, with plans to expand to the UK, Ireland, and France.
World insists its methods are crucial for securing privacy in the age of AI, but its future in Europe remains uncertain.
