Government suspends Worldcoin registration in Kenya
The Kenyan Government has expressed concern over the activities of a cryptocurrency and digital identity project called Worldcoin.
The project, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Alex Blania, and Max Novendstern, has raised concerns over its involvement in the mass registration of citizens using a unique identifier, their iris.
In an August 2, 2023, statement released by Kithure Kindiki, the Cabinet Secretary for the Interior and National Administration, pointed out, “The Government is concerned by the ongoing activities of an organization calling itself Worldcoin which is involved in the registration of citizens through collection of eyeball/iris data.”
He continued, “Further, it will be critical that assurances of public safety and the integrity of the financial transactions involving such a large number of citizens be satisfactorily provided upfront.”
As a result, relevant security, financial services, and data protection agencies have initiated inquiries and investigations to ascertain the authenticity and legality of these activities, ensuring the safety and protection of the harvested data and determining the intended use of the collected information.
Also read: Explainer: What is Worldcoin and why is everyone buzzing about it?
CS Kindiki emphasized that appropriate action will be taken against any individual or entity found to be furthering, aiding, abetting, or engaging in activities similar to those described by the cryptocurrency.
The suspension will remain in effect until relevant public agencies certify that there are no risks to the general public.
To date, Worldcoin has successfully registered users across different regions of the country. The project has designated agents to encourage as many registrations as possible into the World ID, a cutting-edge digital identity system aimed at addressing crucial identity-related issues, such as verifying an individual’s distinct identity while preserving privacy.
The government investigations will determine the potential risks and implications of the project’s operations in Kenya.
As the situation unfolds, Kenyan citizens are eagerly awaiting updates from relevant public agencies regarding the status of Worldcoin and any further actions the government will take to safeguard their data and privacy rights.
Also read: Two Kenyatta University students arrested over Bitcoin fraud