A Kenyan court has ordered Sam Altman's World project to delete all biometric data collected in the country, escalating global scrutiny of the crypto startup’s data collection practices.
The High Court in Nairobi ruled on Monday that World, formerly known as Worldcoin, and its agents collected sensitive biometric data without valid consent from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) and used inducements in the form of cryptocurrency to obtain that data, violating the principle of informed consent.
Joshua Malidzo Nyawa, counsel for Katiba Institute, the NGO that brought the suit, called the ruling “a win for the right to privacy in Kenya.”
"Right to privacy is a constitutional right, and a violation can arise by failing to comply with procedural rules such as conducting a data privacy impact assessment," he said. “Consent issued after an inducement, monetary offers, and cryptocurrency is not free and is illegal.”
World did not immediately respond to Decrypt's request for comment.
The crypto-based digital identity project founded by Altman and Alex Blania uses custom-built iris-scanning orbs to verify individuals and issue a “World ID.”
In exchange, users receive WLD, the project's native token, which has been distributed in part through in-person sign-ups.
The court ordered the World Foundation and its agents to delete all collected biometric data under ODPC supervision within seven days. It also barred it from collecting or processing such data without proper assessments and valid, non-incentivized consent.
The decision comes less than a year after prior controversy about World's activities in Kenya, which included one official calling the company "a gang of criminals."
A ban was lifted following the end of a police investigation in June 2024, but Monday’s ruling represents a significant blow to the company’s efforts to reestablish trust in the market.
World, founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Alex Blania, uses iris-scanning orbs to issue users a digital ID in exchange for tokens.
The company has framed World ID as a "privacy-first" identity solution, emphasizing local data storage and cryptographic protections. Still, watchdogs across the globe remain unconvinced.
In Indonesia, World was suspended on Sunday after regulators said the company failed to register properly and may have allegedly committed a "serious violation" of local laws. Enforcement actions have taken place in Hong Kong, Germany, and Brazil, all citing data privacy concerns.
Yet even as it loses ground in international markets, World is attempting to grow in the U.S., launching in six cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco, where residents can now receive WLD tokens in exchange for signing up.
WLD was down 6.8% on the day to $0.86, CoinGecko data shows.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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