Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) plans to summon the developers of Worldcoin and WorldID next week.

This action follows the temporary suspension of the platforms, which collect users' iris data, for alleged regulatory violations.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) plans to summon Worldcoin and WorldID’s developers next week.

This follows the ministry’s decision to temporarily suspend the platforms, known for collecting users’ iris data, for alleged regulatory violations.

According to a report by Katadata, Komdigi is summoning the developers to discuss the platforms’ operational permits and registration status in Indonesia.

Worldcoin’s operations in Indonesia are carried out by PT. Terang Bulan Abadi, which is not registered as an Electronic System Operator (PSE). This registration is mandatory for foreign companies providing digital services in Indonesia, as stipulated by a 2019 government regulation.

Moreover, the ministry pointed out that the operational permit, known as TDPSE, was issued to PT. Sandina Abadi Nusantara, while the platforms are presenting a different corporate entity.

This discrepancy, along with the lack of complete registration documents, led to the decision to halt Worldcoin’s activities and summon the developers next week.

Earlier this week, Komdigi announced the suspension of Worldcoin and WorldID’s operations in Indonesia due to a lack of operational permits and complete registration documents.

The ministry began investigating the platforms after receiving reports of iris data collection and potential privacy violations.

Local reports suggest that the platforms’ failure to register as a PSE and the discrepancies in corporate entities used for registration and operations were key factors in the suspension decision.

The ministry also highlighted that Worldcoin’s activities were already suspended in Brazil earlier this year due to violations of data protection laws.

In January 2025, Brazil’s data protection agency (ANPD) announced sanctions against the crypto startup for notifying users about the processing of their personal data in an incomplete and unclear manner.

The agency said that Worldcoin’s actions violated the country’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD).

In addition to the administrative sanctions, ANPD also ordered the startup to fully comply with the LGPD by providing complete and transparent information to users about the types of personal data collected and how it will be used.

Earlier this year, Spain’s highest administrative court upheld a temporary ban on Worldcoin, imposed by the country’s data protection agency (AEPD).

The ruling follows a complaint filed by a union of technological and digital workers (CCOO), who argued that the platform’s activities violated the European Union’s data protection law, known as GDPR.

AEPD had initially imposed a provisional measure to halt Worldcoin’s operations in December 2024 after finding that the platform was not fully compliant with GDPR.

In its ruling, the court stated that the platform’s failure to provide sufficient information to users about their rights and how their data will be processed led to the decision to uphold the ban.

The court also noted that the union’s complaint was deemed relevant and admissible, and the administrative sanctions imposed by AEPD were appropriate given the nature of the violations.

This case highlights the challenges faced by emerging technologies in adapting to the changing regulatory landscape.

As technology evolves rapidly, lawmakers and regulators are tasked with keeping pace and ensuring that new innovations are used responsibly and ethically.

In the case of Worldcoin, the varying interpretations of data protection laws and cross-border enforcement posed difficulties for the startup in launching its services fully.