The world announced 10 million verified users on the Internet
World recently announced the process of verifying 10 million people on its digital identity network, formerly known as WorldCoin.
WorldCoin uses the Orbis network to collect biometric data for identity verification – tags that prove that an individual is a person and who that person is.
The company says proof of individuality is necessary due to the rapid development of AI, which threatens data reliability and intellectual property rights. In a January 9 blog post, the World Team wrote:
“As AI agents evolve, human validation can provide a cornerstone for enabling ethical and scalable AI in a world increasingly shaped by humans and intelligent machines.” It keeps them creative.”
Digital ID remains a hot topic, with critics arguing that digital ID schemes threaten privacy and could be abused by authoritarian governments.
A high-level description of the World Wide Web and its components. Source: World White Paper
Related: German watchdog orders Worldcoin to delete non-compliant data
Worldcoin attracts scrutiny from government regulators
WorldCoin has faced significant legal scrutiny and has been ordered to cease operations by government regulators in several jurisdictions.
Kenya was the first country to ban WorldCoin on August 2, 2023, citing potential national security and privacy concerns from collecting and storing biometric data.
In the year In March 2024, WorldCoin was ordered to stop collecting data in Spain for three months and later agreed to cease operations for the remainder of 2024.
The ban follows an investigation from the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) for denying user consent and collecting data from minors.
The company denied the claim and stated that it operates legally in all regions covered by the network.
Portugal banned WorldCoin for 90 days in March 2024 — citing the need to protect citizens' privacy and prevent illegal biometric data collection.
Hong Kong's Office of the Personal Data Privacy Commissioner (PCPD) has ordered WorldCoin to cease operations in Hong Kong by May 2024.
Most recently, in September 2024, South Korea fined WorldCoin 1.1 billion Korean Won, worth $829,000, for violating privacy laws.
Magazine: ‘Moral Responsibility': Can blockchain really improve trust in AI?
