Hong Kong’s Workplace of the Privateness Commissioner for Private
Knowledge (PCPD) has concluded its investigation into the Worldcoin undertaking,
figuring out that its operations within the metropolis violated the Private Knowledge Privateness
Ordinance (PDPO).
Privateness Commissioner Ada Chung Lai-ling issued an
enforcement discover to Worldcoin, demanding an instantaneous cessation of all
actions involving the scanning and assortment of iris and facial photographs
utilizing iris scanning gadgets.
Investigation over Knowledge Privateness Practices
The PCPD launched its investigation in January 2024 to
assess whether or not Worldcoin’s identification verification strategies posed important
dangers to non-public knowledge privateness and complied with the PDPO’s necessities. The
investigation concerned ten covert visits to 6 Worldcoin operation websites from
December 2023 to January 2024.
The investigation discovered that the gathering of facial photographs
was pointless for verifying the humanness of individuals. Iris scanning
system operators may carry out this verification in individual on the operation
websites, making the extra step of scanning or gathering facial photographs
redundant.
The PCPD additionally criticized Worldcoin for failing to offer
adequate info for individuals to make knowledgeable choices and provides
real consent. Notably, the undertaking’s privateness discover was not out there in
Chinese language, stopping non-English audio system from understanding the undertaking’s
insurance policies, practices, and phrases and circumstances.
Furthermore, the PCPD discovered Worldcoin’s retention of delicate
biometric knowledge for as much as 10 years solely for AI mannequin coaching unjustified. The
undertaking had scanned the faces and irises of 8,302 people throughout its
operation in Hong Kong. The PCPD deemed the gathering of face and iris photographs
unfair and illegal, violating the information safety rules of the PDPO.
This text was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.
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