Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) has prohibited Worldcoin from collecting data in the region due to privacy violation concerns, according to a May 22 notice.The privacy regulator alleged that Worldcoin collected iris and facial images from 8,302 residents using an iris-scanning device. This data collection aimed to verify user identity and generate iris codes in exchange for WLD tokens. Worldcoin has repeatedly affirmed that biometric data is hashed, meaning no images of Iris scans are stored. However, its terms and conditions do assert that users can ‘opt-in’ to share Iris images to help Worldcoin improve its system.These actions, according to the regulator, were in violation of local privacy laws. It stated:“The PCPD considered that the face and iris images collected by the Worldcoin project were unnecessary and excessive, contravening the requirements of DPP.”Furthermore, the regulator criticized Worldcoin for not providing sufficient information to users, which impeded informed consent. The investigation noted that Worldcoin’s privacy notice was not available in Chinese, making it inaccessible to non-English speaking participants. The PCPD added:“The Privacy Notice at the material time was not available in Chinese. The PCPD was of the view that participants using Chinese as native language would not be able to clearly understand the relevant policies and practices, terms and conditions of the Worldcoin project, and hence there was a lack of transparency.”Notably, this enforcement action against Worldcoin aligns with recent measures taken by other countries. For example, European countries like Spain and Portugal have acted against the crypto project for similar privacy violations.However, despite these regulatory hurdles across various borders, Wordlcoin adoption continues to soar. In April, World App, the first native wallet for the crypto project, reached 10 million users in less than 12 months of its launch.Worldcoin has recently garnered praise for its data privacy efforts, including commendations from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.In March, co-founder Alex Blania announced that Worldcoin had open-sourced the core software of its ORB technology. This move was paired with the introduction of new features that empower users to control their data usage.Blania also highlighted Worldcoin’s dedication to working with regulators to enhance their operations.Oluwapelumi values Bitcoin’s potential. He imparts insights on a range of topics like DeFi, hacks, mining and culture, underlining transformative power.Also known as “Akiba,” Liam is a reporter, editor and podcast producer at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change. Stay ahead with crypto’s key news and insights. Delivered directly, every day.The Decentralized Fund inititaive is designed to support Polkadot-focused organizations with funding.US approval of Ethereum ETFs turned investors’ sentiment in ETH positively.Hong Kong’s financial regulator SFC has licensed only 2 crypto exchanges in the region.SEC’s regulatory crackdown influenced ETF issuers to exclude staking from proposals amid compliance concerns.Worldcoin’s WLD token tumbled 5% following the regulatory issues in Hong Kong.The advancement has allowed the foundation to securely delete the previous iris code system.The network is set to go live this summer.The first Worldcoin native wallet has hit 10 million users in a little under one year from its launch in May 2023.CryptoSlate’s latest market report dives deep into the effects corporate Bitcoin purchases have on the market.Disclaimer: Our writers’ opinions are solely their own and do not reflect the opinion of CryptoSlate. None of the information you read on CryptoSlate should be taken as investment advice, nor does CryptoSlate endorse any project that may be mentioned or linked to in this article. Buying and trading cryptocurrencies should be considered a high-risk activity. Please do your own due diligence before taking any action related to content within this article. Finally, CryptoSlate takes no responsibility should you lose money trading cryptocurrencies.
