TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian government has suspended the use of the World App, also known as the Worldcoin cryptocurrency management application.
The platform recently went viral on social media after hundreds of people were seen queuing to scan their retinas in exchange for cash ranging from Rp200,000 to Rp800,000.
Indonesia is not alone in restricting World App or Worldcoin operations. Several countries have taken similar measures.
According to silicon.co.uk, Spain’s Data Protection Authority (AEPD) has officially imposed a temporary ban on Worldcoin’s activities, particularly those involving retina scans for personal data collection. The decision was made to safeguard public privacy.
Spain acted in response to public complaints. The AEPD received concerns about insufficient user information, the involvement of minors in the data collection process, and the difficulty users faced in withdrawing previously given consent.
The Spanish government viewed the situation as exceptional and potentially harmful to citizens’ privacy rights. As a precaution, it halted the processing of retina scan data to prevent data from being transferred to other parties and to ensure that fundamental privacy rights are upheld.
Kenya has also adopted a similar stance. The Kenyan High Court ruled that Worldcoin’s data collection practices, including retina scanning, violate the country’s Data Protection Law. As reported by financefeeds.com, the court found that Worldcoin did not obtain valid consent, failed to provide transparency, and did not comply with Kenya’s personal data protection regulations.
The court also noted that citizens were not properly informed about how their data would be used, stored, and protected. Furthermore, the financial incentives offered to users in exchange for their consent were considered coercive and not legally valid.
Worldcoin is a global technology project that integrates digital identity systems with cryptocurrency.
It was founded by Sam Altman, who is also known as the CEO of the artificial intelligence company OpenAI. A central element of this project is World ID, a biometric identification system that relies on facial and retina scans.
The project aims to establish a universal digital identity and a global financial network that protects privacy. However, the use of biometric data, especially retina scans, has raised concerns among regulators and the public in multiple countries.
Unlike traditional financial systems, Worldcoin is decentralized. This means control and decision-making lie with the user community rather than centralized institutions such as banks.
World ID is intended to distinguish humans from bots or AI systems and serve as proof of a real human identity.
Ananda Ridho Sulistya contributed to the writing of this article.
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