Kenya, May 5 -- The High Court of Kenya has decided that Worldcoin can't operate in the country anymore, which is a big setback for this controversial cryptocurrency project.
The court has ordered Worldcoin to remove all the biometric data, such as iris scans, that it collected from Kenyan citizens within seven days. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner will oversee this process.
This ruling came after a legal challenge raised questions about Worldcoin's data collection methods, which involved scanning people's eyes in exchange for digital money.
The court found that these activities broke Kenya's Data Protection Act, mainly because of concerns about privacy and not having clear consent from people.
Worldcoin, which has support from well-known tech leaders, is facing increasing criticism around the world for collecting biometric data. The company has not yet publicly responded to the court's decision.
The Data Protection Commissioner's office will check to make sure Worldcoin follows the court's order. Authorities are emphasising the need to protect citizens' personal information, and not following the rules could lead to more legal problems.
In addition, Worldcoin's project, led by Sam Altman, is facing issues in Indonesia, where regulators are claiming there were violations of rules.
Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs has put a stop to Worldcoin's iris scanning activities after reports of "suspicious activity" by the company.
This pause is one of several similar actions taken by different countries, though Worldcoin continues to introduce its technology in six major cities in the U.S.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.