Global: Spain Takes Action Against Sam Altman’s Worldcoin, Blocking Data Collection

Spain’s data protection authority, AEPD, has issued a ban on Sam Altman’s cryptocurrency venture, Worldcoin, instructing the company to cease the collection and utilization of individuals’ personal data. The ban, effective for up to three months, is based on allegations that Worldcoin is “circumventing EU law.”

Worldcoin, introduced last year, rewards individuals with tokens merely for being unique individuals. The verification process involves a hardware device called “The Orb,” which scans users’ eyeballs.

AEPD has received multiple complaints about the project, citing inadequate information provided to users, the collection of data from minors, and the inability to withdraw consent. The regulator emphasizes the high risks associated with processing biometric data, which holds special protection under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The urgent measures taken by AEPD aim to prevent potentially irreparable damage to individuals’ rights. Worldcoin’s data protection officer, Jannick Preiwisch, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help AEPD understand the crucial aspects of the technology, emphasizing its lawfulness.

Worldcoin has been actively engaging with the Bavarian state authority in Germany, which holds jurisdiction and is conducting its own investigation into the cryptocurrency venture.