Spain bans Worldcoin for three months! South Korea also launched an investigation: action will be taken if violations are violated

Worldcoin was once again banned by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) for three months due to infringements such as collecting data from minors, causing ongoing privacy controversy. At the same time, the Korean Personal Information Protection Commission also launched an investigation into the company to confirm whether there was any illegal activity.

Spain bans Worldcoin for three months

Spain’s data protection agency AEPD has imposed a preventive ban to further investigate data protection issues involved in the Worldcoin project, according to a statement released on Wednesday. The move was taken against Tools for Humanity, the company behind Worldcoin, and aims to ensure data is processed lawfully and users’ privacy rights are maintained.

The Spanish data protection agency AEPD statement

reads that AEPD has ordered Worldcoin to stop collecting, processing and using relevant data, and stated: We have Multiple complaints were received against Worldcoin, including failure to provide sufficient information, collecting data from minors, and being unable to withdraw consent.

And added, "The processing of biometric data should be subject to special protection under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)."

It is reported that the maximum period of the temporary ban is three moon.

Worldcoin’s response: Attempts to communicate failed

In response, the Worldcoin Foundation also responded through an article, saying that the AEPD ignored Worldcoin’s already compliant GDPR regulatory process and directly blocked it: Worldcoin Team We have been cooperating with the Bavarian Data Protection Authority responsible for GDPR supervision for more than a year and have maintained compliance.

And added, "We have been trying to communicate with AEPD for several months, but have never received a response."

South Korea: Under investigation, action will be taken if any violations are violated

At the same time, many complaints were received about Worldcoin obtaining the personal information of Korean people through improper means, and relevant authorities also launched an investigation into the company.

The Korean Personal Data Protection Commission’s press release stated that the authorities had launched an investigation on February 29 at 10 local locations that scanned iris data, and will confirm whether Worldcoin violated the Personal Data Protection Act, and emphasized that : Once a violation of the law is confirmed, action will be taken in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

And added, "The focus will be on the handling of sensitive information and the overseas transmission of personal data."

Worldcoin Privacy Concerns

Since the launch of Worldcoin in 2021 , its privacy issues and controversies continue to face investigations in various jurisdictions. In addition to the above-mentioned Spain and possibly South Korea, places including Kenya and Hong Kong have successively launched investigations or implemented bans on Worldcoin.

Previously, Worldcoin also stated that it has suspended services in India, Brazil and France: We will temporarily stop services in Brazil and France and will launch them on a large scale in 2024, while the iris verification service in India has been Temporarily scale back.

In response, Worldcoin also announced in January this year that it would open source its hardware device "iris scanning device Orb" in the hope of reducing market concerns about privacy and data storage.

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