Hong Kong’s Privacy Authorities Ask Worldcoin to Cease Operations

Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) has released the findings from its investigation into Worldcoin (WLD). The investigations began in January 2024 and aimed to uncover if the project breached any privacy laws.

According to the report, ‘The PCPD carried out 10 covert visits during the period from December 2023 to January 2024 at six premises.‘ The premises were at Yau Ma Tei, Kwun Tong, Wan Chai, Cyberport, Central, and Causeway Bay.

Also Read: Worldcoin Paying Orb Operators in WLD Instead of USDC

The Worldcoin (WLD) project requires the collection of users’ faces and iris images through an iris scanning tool. The investigation found that the project collected face and iris images of 8302 individuals during its operation in Hong Kong.

According to the report, ‘the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (the Privacy Commissioner), Ms. Ada CHUNG Lai-ling, found that the operation of Worldcoin in Hong Kong had contravened the Data Protection Principles (DPPs) in Schedule 1 to the PDPO relating to the collection, retention, transparency, data access and correction rights.’

What did the PCPD find about Worldcoin?

The report states that the collection of iris and face images was ‘unnecessary and excessive.’ Moreover, the PCPD states that personal data was collected unfairly.

Furthermore, the project did not inform users about ‘the possible risks pertaining to their disclosure of biometric data.’

Additionally, given the circumstances, ‘The Privacy Commissioner has served an enforcement notice on Worldcoin Foundation, directing it to cease all operations of the Worldcoin project in Hong Kong.‘

Also Read: Worldcoin To Allow Companies and Governments to Use ID System

The PCPD’s move may negatively impact WLD’s price. The asset has faced a 1.4% correction in the daily charts, a 12.6% correction in the 14-day charts, and an 8.4% correction over the previous month. Nonetheless, WLD is still up by 5.5% over the last week.