Amid ban in Spain, Worldcoin argues it safeguards privacy

Quick Take

  • A third-party audit found that Worldcoin’s Orbs do not store people’s personal information and all that is uploaded from the device is a user’s “iris code.”

Worldcoin released the results of a report on Thursday, which argues that the project preserves people's privacy. The audit comes as a Spanish court upheld a temporary ban prohibiting Worldcoin from operating in the European country earlier this week.

The project's main contributor Tools for Humanity, co-created by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, "engaged" the security firm Trail of Bits to audit Worldcoin's procedures. Worldcoin uses an iris-scanning Orb to prove people are human. 

Trail of Bits's report found, among other things, that Worldcoin's Orbs do not store people's personal information, and that all that is uploaded from the device is a user's "iris code." People who have their irises scanned by the Orb receive Worldcoin's native WLD token. The project has more than 4.2 million sign-ups, according to Worldcoin's website.

Trail of Bits, headquartered in New York, has been operating since 2012. The firm provides technical assessments and advisory services, according to the report.

Worldcoin wants to 'improve trust' online

"Privacy and security are central to the Worldcoin project’s mission of building the largest decentralized identity network of real humans to improve trust online and access to the global economy," said Vlada Labzeyeva, chief of staff at Tools for Humanity.

Since its first launch, Worldcoin has faced scrutiny in various countries, including India, Brazil, and France.


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