Spain Halts Sam Altman’s Worldcoin Eyeball-Scanning Venture Over Data Concerns
Today, Spanish data regulator Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD) instructed Sam Altman’s Worldcoin to halt its operations in the country.
This includes stopping the collection of private data through eye scans and ceasing the use of previously gathered data, according to the Financial Times. Spain is the first European country to suspend Worldcoin over privacy concerns.
AEPD director Mar España Martí said the order was communicated to the blockchain firm at the start of the week, but the firm was given 72 hours to demonstrate compliance.
Martí said the AEPD has acted over concerns that the company was collecting data about minors. In addition, the agency said the crypto initiative failed to follow data laws, which gives users greater control over their data.
The AEPD director expects other EU countries to follow suit and kick Worldcoin out of the EU.
“What we have done is raise the alarm in Europe. But this issue affects citizens in all the countries of the European Union,” she said.
She emphasized that this would require coordinated action.
Data laws are taken seriously in Europe, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has reigned supreme since coming into effect in 2018.
Under the GDPR, businesses must ensure data is gathered legally. Those who collect and manage the data are also mandated to protect such data from exploitation. This regulation applies to all businesses domiciled or operating in the EU.
Before the issue with the AEPD, Worldcoin had been engaging with regulators in South Korea and Hong Kong over several privacy infractions. The project has also suspended identity verification in India, Brazil, and France.
Launched in 2023 by Altman and Alex Blania, Worldcoin is a biometric identity
