The offices of the Worldcoin cryptocurrency project in Hong Kong were searched

The Personal Data Protection Authority (PCPD) of Hong Kong conducted searches at six offices of the Worldcoin cryptocurrency project. The service reported that it suspects the project of violating the law on the collection of biometric data of citizens.

The Worldcoin project was founded by Sam Altman, executive director of OpenAI, the chatbot developer company ChatGPT. The startup is promoting the idea of creating an "identification and financial network", which participants access using a digital World ID. To get it, you need to scan the iris of the eye with a special Orb device.

In order to attract participants, Worldcoin held an airdrop (free distribution) of tokens of the same name in July 2023. According to the project, more than 3 million participants have already joined it.

PCPD is concerned that Worldcoin's activities in Hong Kong pose serious risks to the confidentiality of personal data, and believes that the collection and processing of such data by the project may contradict legal requirements.

Documents were seized during court-ordered searches of the company's offices. The Department has launched an investigation into Worldcoin.

Source: RBC