Kenya Court Orders Worldcoin to Erase Collected Eye Data

A Kenyan court has ordered Worldcoin to erase all the eye data it collected from individuals in the country. The court gave this order because the company did not follow Kenya’s data protection laws. This story was shared by Citizen Digital, a local news outlet. 

The court said Worldcoin collected the data without proper permission. The company scanned citizens’ eyes and gave them $50 in cryptocurrency. However, the court said this was not allowed without clear consent and a proper safety check, called a Data Protection Impact Assessment. 

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner will now watch over the process to ensure the data is truly removed. This office warned that keeping the data might lead to wrong use, changes, or even loss of the private information collected from Kenyans. 

The Court Says Worldcoin Broke Data Rules in Kenya 

A deputy officer named Oscar Otieno told the court that Worldcoin’s actions were not safe. He said the project did not follow the right steps and did not explain the process clearly to users. He warned that this could harm public safety in Kenya. 

The court said Worldcoin must not collect or use more data unless it first follows all the country’s rules. This includes getting clear, honest permission from users and doing a full safety check before starting new actions. 

Worldcoin revealed earlier that it planned to come back to Kenya in 2024. The project wanted to continue giving digital ID tools and crypto rewards. But now, the court’s decision means the company must follow strong rules before operating in the country. 

Officials Prevent Worldcoin From Handling Personal Information 

Last year, Kenya’s leaders said Worldcoin did not have the right license to work in the country. The ministries in charge of internal affairs and information told lawmakers that Worldcoin’s paper was not enough for real work. 

The government also increased its focus on Worldcoin’s work to see if it was real and allowed. These checks were done by a group of officials from different offices, including those that handle money, safety, and personal data. 

Later, the Data Protection Commissioner again told Worldcoin to stop handling private information. The Cabinet Office said this order was still in place and had not been removed. 

The government said it would keep checking on Worldcoin to ensure it follows the rules. A new team was formed to ask more questions and look deeper into how the company worked. The goal was to protect Kenyans and their private data from harm. 

This team is still working today, and the court’s new decision gives them more power. Now, Worldcoin must erase the eye data and prove that it can follow Kenya’s laws before it can operate more.