tl;dr
Kenya's High Court ruled that World (formerly Worldcoin) violated constitutional privacy rights through its biometric data collection practices. The court ordered Worldcoin Foundation to stop processing biometric data and to delete all previously collected data from Kenyan users within seven days. T...
The Kenyan High Court has ruled that Worldcoin's biometric data collection violated constitutional privacy rights, ordering the deletion of all collected data within seven days. The court found that Worldcoin collected biometric data without valid consent and failed to conduct proper Data Protection Impact Assessments, breaching Kenya's Data Protection Act, 2019. Worldcoin's inducement of Kenyans by offering $50 in tokens for iris scans compromised the legitimacy of consent.
This ruling underscores growing global regulatory resistance to Worldcoin's data practices, following similar suspensions in Indonesia. The decision is a significant victory for digital rights advocates and highlights the increasing scrutiny over biometric data collection and privacy in the crypto space.
Worldcoin’s native token (WLD) price dropped nearly 10% following the ruling, reflecting investor concerns. The Kenyan court ordered Worldcoin Foundation to immediately stop processing biometric data and to permanently delete all previously collected biometric information under supervision by the Data Protection Commissioner.
Justice Aburili Roselyne granted the judicial review after the Katiba Institute challenged Worldcoin's practices, citing violations of multiple sections of the Data Protection Act. The inducement of users with cryptocurrency tokens was deemed an inadequate form of consent, especially given the sensitive nature of biometric data.
The ruling has prompted questions about the legitimacy of Worldcoin's operations globally, as regulatory bodies examine compliance with data protection laws. Meanwhile, Worldcoin continues its expansion in the United States despite growing international legal challenges.