The news
- Kenyan High Court mandates Worldcoin to delete biometric data collected from over 300,000 citizens within seven days.
- The court found that Worldcoin violated Kenya’s Data Protection Act by collecting data without valid consent and a proper Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).
- The ruling prohibits Worldcoin from further processing or collecting biometric data in Kenya.
Kenya’s High Court has ordered Worldcoin, the biometric cryptocurrency initiative co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, to delete all biometric data collected from Kenyan citizens. The court found that Worldcoin’s data collection practices violated Kenya’s Data Protection Act of 2019.
Justice Roselyne Aburili, presiding over the case, directed Worldcoin to permanently delete the iris and facial data of over 300,000 Kenyans within seven days, under the supervision of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). The court also prohibited Worldcoin from collecting or processing further biometric data in the country.
The ruling came after a legal challenge by the Katiba Institute, a Kenyan civil society organisation. The Institute argued that Worldcoin collected sensitive biometric data without conducting a mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and obtained consent through financial inducements, offering approximately Ksh7,000 ($50) worth of cryptocurrency in exchange for iris scans.
Worldcoin’s operations in Kenya began in 2022, attracting thousands of citizens who participated by scanning their irises with a device called the “Orb” to receive digital tokens. However, concerns quickly arose regarding the project’s compliance with Kenya’s data protection laws. In August 2023, the Kenyan government suspended Worldcoin’s activities, citing potential risks to national security and data integrity.
Despite the suspension, Worldcoin announced plans to resume operations in Kenya in June 2024, following the closure of a criminal investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The company stated its commitment to working with the Kenyan government and hoped to restart World ID registration nationwide.
The recent court ruling, however, complicates Worldcoin’s plans, emphasising the need for strict adherence to data protection regulations. Kenya’s decisive action aligns with a growing global pushback against Worldcoin’s biometric data practices. Countries like Indonesia have suspended the project’s operations over similar privacy concerns.
As digital identity initiatives continue to emerge, Kenya’s ruling serves as a reminder of the critical need for transparency, ethical data practices, and respect for individual privacy in the deployment of new technologies.
