Hong Kong Privacy Watchdog Orders Worldcoin to Halt Data Collection Over Privacy Breaches
CryptoNewsTerminal Staff22 May, 2024
Hong Kong Privacy Watchdog Orders Worldcoin to Halt Data Collection Over Privacy Breaches
Worldcoin, a startup aiming to create a global cryptocurrency-based identity system, has been ordered to cease data collection in Hong Kong due to privacy breaches. The Personal Data Privacy Commissioner (PCPD) launched an investigation into Worldcoin's operations after receiving complaints and found the company to be in violation of Hong Kong's privacy laws. The investigation revealed that Worldcoin had collected facial and iris data from 8,302 individuals in Hong Kong without providing adequate information about the data-handling arrangements. The collected data was intended to train an artificial intelligence model for identity verification and was to be retained for up to 10 years, which the PCPD deemed excessive. The PCPD's investigation also found that Worldcoin had not obtained valid consent from data subjects and had failed to implement appropriate security measures to protect the collected data. As a result of these breaches, the PCPD has ordered Worldcoin to stop collecting data in Hong Kong and has given the company 30 days to submit a compliance plan outlining how it will address the identified privacy concerns.
