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Business


WORLDCOIN SCANS EYEBALLS AND OFFERS CRYPTO. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT FROM
OPENAI’S CEO

1 of 6 | 

Carlos Jose, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb, at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
2 of 6 | 

Daniel Kertusha, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its international
launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators around the
world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
3 of 6 | 

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, center, is shown at The Canvas, an ethical
fashion store, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Read More
4 of 6 | 

Daniel Kertusha, 21, waits to have his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin
registration point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
5 of 6 | 

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, left, sits atop a metal post on the
checkout counter at The Canvas, an ethical fashion store on Friday, Aug. 4,
2023, in New York. Weeks after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing
the attention of privacy regulators around the world. The international ID
startup, backed by big names in Silicon Valley, is now having to defend itself
in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting
is truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Read More
6 of 6 | 

An orb, a spherical iris scanning device used by Worldcoin, is shown at a
co-working office in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Weeks
after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy
regulators around the world. The international ID startup is now having to
defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company
is collecting is truly secure. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Read More
Worldcoin scans eyeballs and offers crypto. What to know about the project from
OpenAI’s CEO
1 of 6 | 

Carlos Jose, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb, at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
1 of 6

Carlos Jose, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb, at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Share
Share
 * 
   Copy
   Link copied
 * 
   Email
 * 
   Facebook
 * 
   Twitter
 * 
   Reddit
 * 
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 * 
   Flipboard
 * 
   Print


Read More
2 of 6 | 

Daniel Kertusha, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its international
launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators around the
world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
2 of 6

Daniel Kertusha, 21, has his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin registration
point in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its international
launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators around the
world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Share
Share
 * 
   Copy
   Link copied
 * 
   Email
 * 
   Facebook
 * 
   Twitter
 * 
   Reddit
 * 
   Pinterest
 * 
   Flipboard
 * 
   Print


Read More
3 of 6 | 

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, center, is shown at The Canvas, an ethical
fashion store, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Read More
3 of 6

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, center, is shown at The Canvas, an ethical
fashion store, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Share
Share
 * 
   Copy
   Link copied
 * 
   Email
 * 
   Facebook
 * 
   Twitter
 * 
   Reddit
 * 
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 * 
   Flipboard
 * 
   Print


Read More
4 of 6 | 

Daniel Kertusha, 21, waits to have his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin
registration point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Read More
4 of 6

Daniel Kertusha, 21, waits to have his eyes scanned by an orb at a Worldcoin
registration point in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Weeks after its
international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy regulators
around the world. The international ID startup is now having to defend itself in
investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting is
truly secure. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Share
Share
 * 
   Copy
   Link copied
 * 
   Email
 * 
   Facebook
 * 
   Twitter
 * 
   Reddit
 * 
   Pinterest
 * 
   Flipboard
 * 
   Print


Read More
5 of 6 | 

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, left, sits atop a metal post on the
checkout counter at The Canvas, an ethical fashion store on Friday, Aug. 4,
2023, in New York. Weeks after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing
the attention of privacy regulators around the world. The international ID
startup, backed by big names in Silicon Valley, is now having to defend itself
in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting
is truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Read More
5 of 6

Worldcoin’s orb iris scanning sphere, left, sits atop a metal post on the
checkout counter at The Canvas, an ethical fashion store on Friday, Aug. 4,
2023, in New York. Weeks after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing
the attention of privacy regulators around the world. The international ID
startup, backed by big names in Silicon Valley, is now having to defend itself
in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company is collecting
is truly secure. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

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6 of 6 | 

An orb, a spherical iris scanning device used by Worldcoin, is shown at a
co-working office in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Weeks
after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy
regulators around the world. The international ID startup is now having to
defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company
is collecting is truly secure. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Read More
6 of 6

An orb, a spherical iris scanning device used by Worldcoin, is shown at a
co-working office in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Weeks
after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the attention of privacy
regulators around the world. The international ID startup is now having to
defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that the company
is collecting is truly secure. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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By KEN SWEET and EVELYNE MUSAMBI
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Updated
8:08 PM HST, August 10, 2023
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NEW YORK (AP) — Weeks after its international launch, Worldcoin is drawing the
attention of privacy regulators around the world, with the Kenya’s government
going so far as to shut down the service indefinitely.

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The international ID startup, backed by big names in Silicon Valley, is now
having to defend itself in investigations over whether the biometric data that
the company is collecting is truly secure.

Here’s what to know about Worldcoin and the concerns its raising:




WHAT IS WORLDCOIN?



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Worldcoin is the creation of Sam Altman, best known as the CEO of OpenAI, the
company that has gained widespread recognition with its artificial intelligence
chatbot ChatGPT.

The goal of Worldcoin and the company backing it, Tools for Humanity, is to give
people a form of identification that could never be stolen or duplicated.
Worldcoin creates a “World ID” by scanning someone’s eyeballs through “orbs” — a
device that captures an image of their irises, the colored parts of the eyes.

One possible use for such an ID would be online services, where oftentimes
people are having to remember multiple passwords and usernames for various
websites they have signed up for.



The security of those sites can be flawed, however, and there have been numerous
security breaches where usernames and passwords have been stolen. Instead of
using old technology like passwords, a person could just sign up using their
World ID.


WHAT IS ITS CONNECTION TO CRYPTO?



Worldcoin is first and foremost an identification project but is using
cryptocurrency to get people to sign up. The Worldcoin token is trading for
roughly $1.90, but its value is largely based on speculation rather than its
current usability as a currency.

Worldcoin launched officially in July, and as part of the promotion, early
adopters were given an amount of cryptocurrency worth between $50 and $60,
depending on the jurisdiction. Most of the countries where Worldcoin launched
don’t widely use or accept crypto.



Further, $50 is a lot of money in developing countries where people are being
asked to sign up, including Kenya, where the average monthly income is roughly
$170.


WHY IS WORLDCOIN GAINING ATTENTION?



Thousands of Kenyans lined up in Nairobi last week at a registration center
where Worldcoin scanned their irises in exchange for 25 coins worth about $50.
The largely youthful crowd included a special line for mothers who waited with
children strapped to their backs.

Some of those in line told local media that they had traveled for miles after
friends said “free money” was being handed out. They acknowledged not knowing
why they needed to scan their irises and where that information would go but
just wanted the money.



University graduates were among those who waited for hours, alluding to the high
rate of unemployment in Kenya, where many are angry over the rising cost of
living.

The Kenyan government has since suspended new sign-ups for Worldcoin as it
investigates whether people’s information is being properly protected.

Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said last week that “investigations of the
safety and protection of the data being harvested and how the harvesters intend
to use the data” had started.


WHAT ARE THE PRIVACY CONCERNS?





Worldcoin’s orbs collect biometric data by taking photographs of a person’s
iris. While Worldcoin argues that the data is used to create a unique, secure
form of identification, privacy experts have concerns that the company may use
the information in other ways, like personalized marketing.

That has led some countries to investigate Worldcoin’s operations, including
France, Germany and now Kenya.

The Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision says it has initiated
a comprehensive investigation of Worldcoin and Tools for Humanity over data
security practices.

The agency is looking into whether the rights of people who submitted their
personal data were observed. They should have been sufficiently informed about
how their data would be used and given the ability to object, have their data
deleted or to withdraw their permission, said Michael Will, head of the office.

The data also should be protected from unauthorized access — to prevent identity
theft, for instance, he said in a statement.

France’s data privacy regulator said the legality of Worldcoin’s data collection
and how it stores the information “seems questionable.” It launched an
investigation, finding the German privacy watchdog had jursidiction under
Europe’s strict data privacy rules.

The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office says it’s making inquiries about
Worldcoin.

Privacy experts are worried that even Worldcoin could eventually be susceptible
to criminals infiltrating it, similar to data breaches at other large companies.
Privacy experts have said biometric data is already being sold in places like
China and that could spread to other countries or jurisdictions.

“When biometric data gets leaked, especially in the poor countries where
Worldcoin’s been operating, people’s lives are on the line,” said Pete Howson, a
professor of international development at Northumbria University in Newcastle
upon Tyne, England.

In a blog post post last week, Worldcoin acknowledged the privacy concerns
around its new service but said, “Everything is optional, and no personal data
is disclosed by default, enabling each holder to decide which (if any) personal
data to share with third parties when using World ID.”

Worldcoin has previously said the company uses industry best practices to secure
users’ data, pointing to an audit that two security firms did in late July.


___

Musambi reported from Nairobi, Kenya. AP Business Writer Dave McHugh in
Frankfurt, Germany, contributed.

KEN SWEET
Ken is a national writer on banking and consumer issues.

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