The UK’s data regulator is reportedly examining the biometric project created by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, where users provide the scans of their irises in exchange for free cryptocurrencies and digital identification. The project launched yesterday (Monday), and has over 2 million users across 20 countries, including the UK.
Dubbed Worldcoin, the
blockchain-based project was created by Tools for Humanity, a company based in
San Francisco and Berlin. The project reportedly aims to create a global
identity network by issuing users with an account dubbed World ID.
Finance
Magnates reported on
Monday that the top cryptocurrency exchange Binance had listed the Worldcoin token (WLD)
on its platform to be traded against Bitcoin and USDT. Additionally, the
digital currency was listed on the cryptocurrency exchange OKX. On Monday, the
price of WLD peaked at USD $3.3 before dropping to USD $2 on Tuesday, according to
CoinMarketCap.
In a statement shared
with Reuters, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Officer (ICO) said that the
regulator was planning to conduct inquiries about Worldcoin. The ICO added that
the companies collecting personal data must do so with permission from their users
and must adhere to the law. Additionally, the regulator maintains that users
must have the freedom to opt out of such agreements.
Alex Blania, Worldcoin’s Co-Founder, praised the biometrics project, saying that the World IDs were important in differentiating humans from Artificial Intelligence (AI) bots because only humans get the digital identity. Additionally, Blania believes that with blockchain technology, the privacy of personal data is guaranteed.
Buterin Weighs
In on Worldcoin
Vitalik Buterin, the
Co-Founder of the second-largest blockchain
