The Spanish Data Protection Agency has ordered the American company to provisionally cease its activity in the country for violating the privacy of users.
Worldcoin , the company that offers cryptocurrencies in exchange for scanning people's irises, has received a hard blow in Spain. The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has issued an emergency precautionary measure that prevents it from continuing to collect and process the biometric data of Spanish citizens.
The AEPD's decision is based on the fact that Worldcoin does not comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, which establishes special guarantees for special category personal data, such as biometric data. According to the agency, Worldcoin does not adequately inform users about the procedure, does not allow them to withdraw consent or exercise the right to delete their data .
Furthermore, the AEPD considers that there is a risk that the data collected by Worldcoin could be used for illicit purposes , such as identity theft or the creation of fraudulent profiles. The precautionary measure affects both the recruitment of new users and those who have already exchanged their iris for Worldcoin coins, who will not be able to withdraw them or convert them into cash.
Worldcoin is a project promoted by Tools for Humanity, a company based in San Francisco (USA) that has the support of investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase or the co-founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman. Its goal is to create a universal basic income based on a cryptocurrency that is distributed to people who verify their identity by scanning their iris.
To do this, Worldcoin has deployed spherical devices called Orbs , which are responsible for capturing the image of the users' eyes and faces. These devices have been installed in shopping centers and other public places in several countries, including Spain, where they have generated great expectation and long lines of people interested in obtaining the cryptocurrency.
However, the project has also raised many criticisms and suspicions due to the lack of transparency and security in the processing of personal data. According to the AEPD, more than 400,000 people in Spain have delivered their iris to Worldcoin, a figure that could be higher due to the boom in recent weeks.
The AEPD's precautionary measure has an initial duration of three months, which could be extended if considered necessary . During this time, the agency will conduct a deeper investigation into the case and coordinate its actions with the European Data Protection Board, as Worldcoin operates in several EU countries.
Spain thus becomes the first European country, and the second in the world after Kenya, to stop Worldcoin. However, the company is also being investigated by the data protection authorities of other countries such as Germany, Italy or France. If Worldcoin does not comply with the AEPD order, it could face a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of its annual revenue, according to the GDPR.