The High Court Kenyan has ordered Sam Altman’s Worldcoin project to delete the biometric data collected from citizens within 7 days.
The office of the country of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) will supervise the deletion process, according to the details of the case.
Lady judges Aburili Roselyne rendered the judgment on May 5, in an open hearing, ordering the WorldCoin Foundation and her agents to “delete definitively” all the biometric data collected in Kenya.
“Judge Aburilii made one of the most progressive decisions by canceling the Woldcoin Foundation’s decision to collect biometric data without complying with confidentiality guarantees,” said Joshua Malidzo Nyawa, lawyer for a Kenyan Ngo Katiba Institute, who brought a prosecution.
Nyawa said the decision was “a victory for the right to privacy in Kenya”.
“The right to privacy is a constitutional law, and a violation may occur by not respecting the rules of procedure such as carrying out an assessment of the impact on the privacy of data”, he wrote on X. “Consent issued after an incentive, monetary offers and a cryptocurrency is not free and illegal.”
The court indicates that Worldcoin has collected illegally data
The Court’s decision comes as the company faces growing concerns about data protection and privacy violations in Kenya.
According to Katiba Institute, Worldcoin Foundation participated in the collection, in the management of biometric data “without undertaking the evaluation of the impact on data protection”. In addition, the process occurred without valid consent, required by Kenyan law.
In August 2023, Kenya suspended WorldCoin operations and launched an investigation into the company to collect public data illegally.
The secretary of the interior cabinet, Professor Kithure, said at the time that the Kenyan government would take all measures to ensure public security and the integrity of financial transactions.
The project appeared after people started to come together outside the shopping centers where Iris scans were taken by the Worldcoin Orb.
In addition, a Kenyan official called the project “a gang of criminals who come to harvest the data of young people”.
Sam Altman’s crypto project faces deep problems around the world
The project is already confronted with a regulatory backlash in many countries during its controversial Iris sweeping program.
The Crypto project has attracted more than 1 billion USD to investments by several companies and truck investors. These include Andreessen Horowitz, the co-founder of Linkedin, Reid Hoffman and the Coinbase venture capital.
However, despite its modest labor, Worldcoin remains suspended in various countries. For example, Indonesian regulators allegedly alleged that the blockchain project may have committed a “serious violation” of its regulations.
According to a recent report from a local media, Indonesia has suspended its operations “to prevent potential risks for the community”.
“Failure to comply with registration obligations and the use of the identity of another legal entity to carry out digital services is a serious violation,” said Director General of Digital Space Supervision Alexander Sabar.
The High Court Post-Kenya cancels the biometric data of Worldcoin by Sam Altman, cites the confidentiality problems that appeared first on Cryptonews.
