Thailand’s data authorities have ordered World to delete over 1.2 million records of iris scans that it had collected in the country, demanding that the company shut down operations.
World is a digital ID platform co-founded by OpenAI’s founder, Sam Altman, and the company includes multiple projects such as World ID, World App, World Chain, Worldcoin (WLD).
On its official website, the project promises to offer universal proof of humans, finance, and connections, highlighting that World ID ensures secure access to human-only things, like financial services, concert ticket sales, dating apps, and video games.
Thai Regulators Suspend World’s Iris-Scanning Operations
The Thai authorities have ordered the suspension and deletion of over 1.2 million records of World’s iris-scanning operation via Orbs.
World’s website explains that an Orb is an open-source device that verifies that you are “a unique human” without knowing anything else about you, highlighting that Orbs are built by Tools for Humanity – a technology company building for humans in the age of AI.
The Orb reportedly captures and processes photos to verify uniqueness without the need to retain images or collect any other data. The device takes pictures of a person’s face and eyes, promising to encrypt and store them on the person’s phone, so that they are the sole controller of the data.
The project promises that permanently encrypted codes generated by the photos are stored across secure databases to prevent double verification.
Bangkok Post reported that the Thai authorities ruled that collecting sensitive biometric data in exchange for crypto is not compliant with the law.
Also, the publication quoted the firm, Tools for Humanity, saying that this suspension negatively affects millions of Thai people who adopted the tech to protect themselves from scams, ID theft, and AI-driven fraud, adding that it remains committed to building a safer digital reality and will continue to engage with the local authorities constructively.
Currently, the Orbs are available in multiple countries in Europe, the US, and other regions, according to the official website.
Thailand Authorities Official Meeting
Thailand’s new Minister of the Digital Economy and Society (DES), Chaichanok Chidchob, held a press conference on November 24, according to official local reports, highlighting that the country’s Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) ordered the suspension and deletion of 1.2 million records from the “iris-scanning-for-tokens” case for violating the PDPA.
Other important regulators were present at the meeting, including the Secretary of the Minister of DES, and spokesperson for the ministry, the Secretary-General of the PDPC, the Executive Director of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, and other relevant officials.
What is the PDPA?
PDPA is Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act, which became law on May 28, 2019. According to official data, following multiple extensions, it came into full force on June 1, 2022, after the formation of the Personal Data Protection Committee and the issuance of subordinate regulations.
Since the full enforcement of the PDPA, various guidelines have been issued, including:
- Guidelines on data collection for research
- Security measures for collecting and protecting criminal record data
- Criteria for handling data subjects’ requests for deletion, destruction, or anonymization of personal data
In April 2024, a master plan was launched to boost the country’s data protection framework, focused on:
- Enforceability
- Raising public awareness
- Promoting collaboration to align with data protection standards
Binance’s Statement
On November 24, Binance Thailand also shared an important notice about the matter, highlighting that the iris-scanning activities conducted in exchange for crypto were found to be non-compliant with Thai laws:
The operator of the iris-scanning service, in exchange for WLD, failed to provide complete data on the purpose of data-processing consent, and such consent is considered invalid under the PDPA.
The PDPC submitted the matter to the Expert Committee, which issued an administrative order to halt the project’s operations and delete the data collected, while considering the appropriate penalties.
Binance also told users to remain cautious regarding World and the token Worldcoin (WLD). The exchange stated that users can still deposit, withdraw, and trade WLD tokens as usual on the platform.
At the moment of writing this article, WLD is trading in the green, and it’s priced above $0.62 with a market cap of over $1.47 billion.
The digital asset didn’t record significant volatilty following the latest announcements and issues in Thailand.
