What is Worldcoin’s Orb, and how does it protect your personal data?

What is Worldcoin's Orb and how does it work?

Worldcoin's Orb is a biometric scanning device designed to verify an individual's identity through a unique iris pattern and create a universal identity system.

The orb, shaped like a chrome sphere about the size of a bowling ball, plays a vital role in the Worldcoin ecosystem by helping users register their digital identities. By scanning the iris, Orb ensures that each registered ID corresponds to a real, unique person and not an artificial intelligence or bot.

Orb uses camera sensors and machine learning models to analyze both facial and iris features. Worldcoin does not use your iris to identify who you are; Instead, it just proves that you are unique and not part of the system.

Worldcoin's Orb is more than a biometric device; It is a key component in the Worldcoin ecosystem. By facilitating identity verification through iris scanning, Orb creates a bridge between users and their digital identity, connecting them to World ID, a unique identifier that allows individuals to access various services and participate in the Worldcoin network.

How to scan the iris with Worldcoin's Orb

The first step to using WorldCoin is to access the WorldCoin Orb, which will be available in 16 countries around the world from October 2024.

After choosing an orb location, you go through a simple process. Orb takes a picture of your iris without storing your personal information or requiring an additional eye exam to verify your identity.

Once the verification process is complete and the Orb takes multiple images of the user's iris, it generates an IrisCode. This numerical representation highlights the key features of the iris pattern used to derive global identification.

Worldcoin's Orb update

In the year In October 2024, Worldcoin announced a rebrand, dropping the “coin” from its name and simplifying the name to “world”. The world has introduced the next generation of Orbi with a new name.

The updated Orb is powered by NVIDIA hardware, with the aim of making it even more powerful – it's said to be five times more powerful than its predecessor. It has a smaller design and fewer parts, increasing its usability.

The latest version of Orb has been redesigned to improve efficiency, with 30% fewer components and three times the processing power. This update is intended to support faster AI operations and improve privacy features directly within the device.

In the future, users will find these new Orbs at self-service kiosks in select markets. WorldCoin plans to introduce an on-demand service for those who prefer not to physically search for the Orb. WorldCoin encourages others to become “community operators” by renting or buying Orbs to verify their locality.

Previous versions of Orbi drew interest and criticism, particularly among privacy advocates. In response, Worldcoin has added some transparency measures, such as introducing removable SD cards and public auditing of operating code. Additionally, Worldcoin made open source software an integral part of Orbi, allowing for more scrutiny and accountability.

Worldcoin is expanding its identity verification options. Users will soon be able to verify their identity with methods beyond Orb's hardware. With the introduction of World ID credentials, Near Field Communication (NFC)-holders of government-issued passports can authenticate themselves directly into the World app.

Did you know this? Due to excessive biometric data collection, countries such as Hong Kong, Portugal, South Korea and Germany have expressed concern about Worldcoin Orb's data collection and privacy practices, leading to regulatory measures such as bans and investigations.

How Worldcoin's Orb protects personal information

Worldcoin's Orb is designed with privacy in mind, ensuring that your biometric information is secure and under your control.

When the Orb scans your iris, it doesn't store that image permanently; Instead, it maps your iris pattern long enough to create a unique, encrypted code that proves you're a real, unique person.

This code, known as an “iris fragment,” doesn't reveal any personal information — it's just a set of encrypted numbers that represent your unique identifier. After this happens, Orb immediately deletes the iris image, leaving only the encrypted code.

If you agree to share your data, this encrypted data bundle is stored securely on your phone, giving you a fully authenticated global identity and a global platform for the global network. You can even delete this data later if you choose. This opt-in option allows you to improve the system by allowing WorldCoin to analyze your data, but it is entirely voluntary.

If you choose not to opt in, you can still use the World app to set up a wallet and use the World ID verified by your device. In both cases, the Orb setup ensures that your unique identity information is decentralized and encrypted to minimize privacy risks. This unique privacy framework lets you control your data while ensuring the security needed to power a trusted and user-centric identity system.

Worldcoin's Orb privacy measures have been updated to address growing transparency and regulatory concerns. If a user decides to “verify” their Global ID, they can request that the old iris code be permanently deleted, rendering it invalid. This code will be permanently deleted after a six-month cooling-off period.

Did you know this? As WorldCoin shifts its focus from Europe to Asia and Latin America, it faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny regarding its compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

How Worldcoin's Orb ensures data security of third parties

Worldcoin Orb can enhance security practices by facilitating secure and user-friendly interactions with third-party platforms focused on data privacy.

By integrating Orb, companies can ensure user data remains protected without paying for functionality. This means users can enjoy a seamless experience knowing that their personal information is kept under wraps.

Orbi's uniqueness lies in its ability to create a security layer that third-party platforms rely on. For example, when users connect to apps using Orb, their biometric data is not stored on those platforms, but instead is held securely. This approach reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, making it an attractive choice for businesses looking to protect user trust.

In addition to protecting user data, WorldCoin has introduced physical age verification to prevent minors from engaging in inappropriate activities. This verification check is particularly useful as it does not involve recording or storing data, effectively addressing privacy concerns of young users. By ensuring that proof of age is handled securely and intelligently, Worldcoin reinforces its commitment to protecting user data.

Companies adopting Orb can benefit from a more streamlined verification process. Using Orb's technology, platforms can streamline identity checks, making onboarding easier while still adhering to strict privacy requirements. This can be especially useful for industries that handle sensitive information, such as finance or healthcare, where protecting user data is critical.

Worldcoin Orb and privacy issues

In the midst of the crisis, questions about how the personal data collected with WorldCoin Orb is handled and protected continue to mount, leaving many users questioning their overall efforts.

Regarding data privacy, Worldcoins Orb has raised concerns about the possibility of misuse or misuse of biometric data. A key issue is the lack of transparency around the use and storage of this data.

Critics say, with no clear guidelines, there's no guarantee that the data won't be accessed by unauthorized parties or sold to third-party businesses or the black market. The technology sector's history of data breaches contributes to this anxiety, making people hesitant to trust new technologies, no matter how innovative they may seem.

Moreover, there are questions about permission. How much information do users get when they choose to participate in the Worldcoin project? If the terms are unclear or complicated, people may not fully understand what they are signing up for. This can make less tech-savvy people feel like they're being taken advantage of.

Compounding these concerns, a report from Certike revealed a serious security vulnerability in the operator's onboarding process. This flaw could have allowed individuals to bypass authentication and operate Orb without proper identification or as a legitimate company. After the Worldcoin team settled the matter, the discovery adds fuel to the ongoing privacy and ethics debates surrounding the project.