Worldcoin Pauses Spain Operations Until End of 2024 or Completion of GDPR Audit

The decision follows the Spanish Data Protection Agency's (AEPD) initial suspension order in March.

Worldcoin, a project aiming to create a universal digital identity, has paused its operations in Spain until the end of 2024 or the completion of an audit on its firm by the Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA). This decision comes after the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) initially suspended Worldcoin’s operations in March.

The extension was proposed by Tools for Humanity, a contributor to Worldcoin, to address ongoing data privacy concerns. The project, co-created by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, seeks to verify human identity online by scanning eyeballs and issuing WLD tokens as proof of humanity.

This system differentiates between humans and AI-powered agents, which is becoming increasingly crucial as AI becomes more prevalent online. According to Tools for Humanity, these technologies are necessary to maintain online integrity.

BayLDA is overseeing Worldcoin’s compliance with the GDPR. According to Tools for Humanity, they have cooperated with the German authority for over a year and taken several measures to protect biometric data.

In March, Worldcoin introduced “Personal Custody,” which prevents new signups from storing and encrypting their biometric data on the company’s servers. As a result, only existing Wordlcoin users can request the deletion of their numeric iris codes. Additionally, the company implemented measures to prevent individuals under 18 from signing up.

The AEPD confirmed that Tools for Humanity has legally committed to not resuming operations in Spain until the end of the year or until the audit concludes. The findings of the audit will determine Worldcoin’s future operations in Spain.

Despite the regulatory challenges, public support for Worldcoin in Spain appears to be strong. A recent survey by Tools for Humanity showed that over 80% of the 21,000 World ID users in Spain believe that technologies like World ID are crucial for distinguishing between humans and bots online. Nearly 90% of respondents said they would like to see the project return to Spain.

“While it is encouraging that a significant majority of World ID users in Spain see the importance of our technology, we have voluntarily extended the pause of orb operations to ensure full compliance with data protection regulations,” said Thomas Scott, Chief Legal Officer of Tools for Humanity.