Brazil has officially banned Sam Altman’s Worldcoin, a controversial crypto project known for its use of iris-scanning technology.
On 24 January 2025, the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) of Brazil released a statement saying it “has decided to apply a preventive measure to the company Tools for Humanity – TFH to suspend the offer of cryptocurrency or any other financial compensation for the collection of irises of data subjects in Brazil.”
The authorities found that by influencing the decision regarding the provision of their biometric data, the company made the weight of the payment offered even greater .
“The measure taken against the company Tools for Humanity comes into effect on January 25” the announcement said.
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Worldcoin Reliance On Biometric Data Sparks Criticism
Worldcoin is a crypto project co-founded by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, with the goal of creating a global financial network.
The project seeks to distribute its cryptocurrency to individuals worldwide in exchange for their biometric data—specifically, iris scans.
These scans are collected using a device called the “Orb,” captures unique biometric identifiers to verify an individual’s identity (World ID) and ensure they are not registering multiple times.
“According to the company, the World ID would allow proof that the holder is a unique living human being and would promote greater digital security in the context of the expansion of artificial intelligence tools,” the Brazilian government said. “In a preventive analysis, the General Coordination of Inspection understood that the granting of monetary compensation by the company, through the offering of cryptocurrencies, may harm the obtaining of consent from the holder of personal data.”
World ID verification is now available in Brazil
pic.twitter.com/JHWcVpNlHp
— World (@worldcoin) November 12, 2024
The project’s mission is to promote financial inclusivity by providing universal access to digital currency.
However, its reliance on biometric data has sparked widespread criticism from privacy advocates, regulators, and governments worldwide.
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“Consent for the processing of sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, must be free, informed, unequivocal”
According to the authorities, the monetary consideration offered by the company in form of free crypto “may interfere with the free expression of will of individuals.”
The ANPD specified that “the consent for the processing of sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, must be free, informed , unequivocal and provided in a specific and highlighted manner, for specific purposes.”
“The CGF also considered that the processing of personal data carried out by the company was particularly serious , considering the use of sensitive personal data and the impossibility of deleting the collected biometric data, in addition to the irreversibility of revoking consent,” the authorities added.
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The post Brazil Bans Worldcoin Over Privacy And Security Concerns Of “World ID” appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
