The company Worldcoin raised eyebrows last year—literally. Now Spain has temporarily banned the company’s eyeball-scanning technology.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, created Worldcoin. (You might be familiar with Altman’s most famous creation, ChatGPT.) Using camera-filled “orbs,” Worldcoin scans users’ eyes. These scans collect data to make unique digital IDs. In theory, these IDs can’t be stolen.
But what if Worldcoin sells them away? Experts questioned the safety of this technology. According to Worldcoin officials, users maintain control of their own data. But some folks think that claim may not be trustworthy.
Kenya suspended Worldcoin signups last year. Spain is the first European country to press pause on Worldcoin.
By November 2023, over 360,000 people had signed up for Worldcoin in Spain. They lined up in Madrid, Barcelona, and other cities to have their eyeballs scanned. But since then, users raised concerns. Some say the company gathers information from minors. (In Spain as well as the United States, that’s anyone under 18 years old.) Others claim Worldcoin won’t let them revoke consent for sharing personal information.
Spain’s Agency for Data Protection told the company to stop collecting personal data. As for the data already collected, Worldcoin must keep it to itself. Other European nations, such as France and Germany, are also investigating the company.
Why the worry over personal data? Many marketing companies covet this information. Marketers can use personal data to create targeted ads and sell products. But when does that turn into an invasion of privacy? Security experts believe Worldcoin may have crossed that line. Others are concerned that users’ data may not be secure. They say that criminals have stolen personal data from other large companies.
Worldcoin officials deny these claims. The company’s data protection officer, Jannick Preiwisch, has strong words for Spain. The Spanish data protection authority “is circumventing EU law with their actions today . . . and spreading inaccurate and misleading claims about our technology globally,” Preiwisch says.
Have Spain’s lawmakers made a wise decision for their country? Or has caution gone too far? New technologies can benefit the world. But it’s good to practice wisdom before embracing them.
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. — Proverbs 16:16
