Kenya’s High Court has ordered the removal of all biometric data collected by World (previously known as Worldcoin), which is the crypto identity project co-founded by Sam Altman.
Kenya to World Project: Remove Biometric Data
The Nairobi court ruled that World and its affiliates gathered sensitive iris data from Kenyan citizens without proper authorization from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). The project also used financial incentives, specifically crypto, to encourage sign-ups, thus, violating Kenya’s data protection laws. The inducements, the court found, invalidated the consent process required under the country’s privacy laws.
Joshua Malidzo Nyawa, attorney for the Katiba Institute, which brought the legal challenge, said the decision affirms the constitutional right to privacy. “Consent obtained through monetary or crypto incentives is not freely given and therefore illegal,” Nyawa explained. He also emphasized that failing to conduct a required data protection impact assessment contributed to the legal violation.
The court has given World and its agents seven days to purge all collected biometric data under the supervision of the ODPC. It also prohibited further data collection or processing without valid, non-incentivized consent and proper regulatory assessments.
World, created by Altman and Alex Blania, uses iris-scanning devices known as “orbs” to verify identities and issue a digital ID called “World ID.” Participants are compensated with WLD, the project’s native cryptocurrency. The company promotes its platform as a privacy-centric identity solution, citing features like local data storage and cryptographic security, but critics and regulators around the world remain skeptical.
Kenya’s ruling comes after previous controversy surrounding World’s operations in the country. In 2024, a temporary ban was placed on the project during a police investigation, during which a government official even referred to the group as “a gang of criminals.” That ban was lifted in June, but this week’s court order marks a renewed blow to the company’s credibility in the region.
In the wake of the legal setback in Kenya, WLD’s market performance has taken a hit. The crypto fell 6.39 in the past day and is currently trading at $0.8833.
Note that the data privacy backlash is not limited to Kenya. Just one day before this ruling, Indonesia ended World’s local operations due to alleged legal violations and lack of proper registration. The project is also facing regulatory actions in Germany, Brazil, and Hong Kong, with countries raising concerns about how biometric data is handled.
Also Read: Sam Altman’s Crypto Project ‘World’ Expands to US with Plans for Visa Card and Tinder Pilot Project
