Worldcoin Faces Hong Kong Ban Over Personal Data Concerns

• Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has concluded a probe into Worldcoin.
• The investigation commenced in January.
• The regulator’s findings highlighted multiple violations of the Privacy Ordinance.

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has ordered Worldcoin to close its business in the city following the conclusion of a three-month probe into the project’s operations.

On January 31, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) embarked on a “proactively initiated investigation” to determine whether Worldcoin had violated the provisions of the Privacy Ordinance when collecting and processing sensitive personal data.

Findings on Worldcoin’s Operations

According to a Hong Kong Standard report on May 22, the PCPD released its findings of the investigation on Wednesday, establishing that the face and iris images collected by Worldcoin from around 8,302 people were “unnecessary and excessive.”

The PCPD faulted Worldcoin for collecting personal data unfairly, arguing that relevant documents, such as “Private Notice” and “Biometric Data Consent Form” were not provided in the Chinese language.

The investigation’s findings also revealed that Worldcoin violated the Privacy Ordinance by failing to clarify whether it was obligatory or voluntary for customers to provide their personal information.

Noting that the 10-year retention period of personal data by Worldcoin to train AI models on human verification was “way too long,” the PCPD found it necessary to bring an enforcement action against the project.

“The Privacy Commissioner has served an enforcement notice on Worldcoin Foundation, directing it to cease all operations of the Worldcoin project in Hong Kong in scanning and collecting iris and face images of members of the public using iris scanning device,” the report quoted PCDP.

Following the ban, PCPD has urged the public to sound an alarm if they notice that Worldcoin is still operating with “its iris scanning devices in Hong Kong.”

Read about a recent security audit that gave Worldcoin a clean bill:
Worldcoin has “No Vulnerabilities,” Claims New Audit

Stay updated on why Spain recently blocked Worldcoin’s operations:
Spain Blocks Worldcoin as a “Precautionary Measure”