The news:
- Police officers in Kenya have raided a warehouse in Nairobi belonging to the crypto company, Worldcoin.
- Machines and documents belonging to the company were seized by law enforcement officers during the raid.
- The raid comes after Kenyan authorities suspended the activities of Worldcoin over data concerns.
Reportedly armed with a search warrant and backed by multi-agency officials, a team of police officers have raided the wares house of crypto and identity verification company, Worldcoin.
A local media platform, KahawaTungu, reported that the officers broke into the warehouse located along Mombasa Road on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Kenya's Data Commissioner, Immaculate Kassait, said Worldcoin's parent company, Tools for Humanity, "did not disclose its true intentions during registration."
Data collected from the warehouse will be taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters for analysis.
This news comes after a few days after Kenyan authorities suspended the activities of Worldcoin in the country due to data concerns. They said the company's activities will remain suspended until relevant public agencies can certify that it poses no risk to Kenyans.
The project which was founded by Sam Altman, one of the brains behind OpenAI (ChatGPT), was launched to create a global financial database for everyone in the world.
The project uses a device called an orb to scan people's eyes and give them a World ID, also known as "proof of personhood." This World ID helps people verify their identity on online platforms without having to reveal their names or other personal data.
While Worldcoin is registered as a data controller in Kenya, authorities say it is not regulated.
