- Kenya halts Worldcoin operations over concerns about biometric scans.
- Multiple government entities investigating Worldcoin’s activities for privacy and security.
- Worldcoin’s token price unaffected by Kenya’s suspension of operations.
Kenya has joined the growing list of countries closely examining Worldcoin, the ambitious cryptocurrency venture spearheaded by Sam Altman, the founder of ChatGPT. In response to apprehensions surrounding privacy and security, the Kenyan government has decided to halt Worldcoin’s operations within the country. The government’s intervention was primarily triggered by concerns surrounding the project’s contentious biometric scans.
In a recent press release on Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and National Administration’s official Facebook page, the government has raised apprehensions regarding Worldcoin’s utilization of iris data (biometric scan) for registering Kenyan citizens. Consequently, the government has temporarily stopped this cryptocurrency startup’s local operations.
Multiple government entities, encompassing security, financial services, and data protection sectors, have commenced investigations and inquiries into the operational framework of Worldcoin. These endeavors aim to ascertain the legitimacy and genuineness of Worldcoin’s activities, with a primary focus on safeguarding the privacy and security of citizens. Additionally, the government has expressed a keen interest in acquiring insights regarding the proposed utilization of biometric data collected from individuals.
Worldcoin’s operations in Kenya will remain on hold until the government confirms no risk to the general public. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has cautioned that legal measures will be taken against any affiliated entities that try to carry out Worldcoin’s activities. The Interior Ministry emphasized the importance of ensuring public safety and the integrity of financial transactions, particularly when involving many citizens.
Kenya’s suspension of Worldcoin’s operations did not appear to have any discernible effect on the performance of its native token WLD. Currently, the token is being traded at $2.41, exhibiting a noteworthy increase of over 4% within the last 24 hours.
Worldcoin has faced scrutiny in Europe due to comparable concerns regarding privacy and security. Recently, France’s privacy regulator CNIL raised doubts about the legality of the crypto startup’s biometric data collection. Similarly, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision in Germany has investigated Worldcoin’s operations since November of the previous year.
