Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has commended Worldcoin for taking privacy concerns seriously and implementing measures to protect user data. In a response to a social media post about Worldcoin, Buterin stated that the project has done a “quite good job” in terms of safeguarding personal information with cryptography. He praised their efforts in addressing privacy critiques and continually improving their system.
However, it is worth noting that Buterin previously expressed skepticism and concerns about Worldcoin’s mechanism of verifying human identity through iris scanning. He raised issues related to privacy, accessibility, and the potential for centralized governance. Buterin highlighted the risks associated with extensive data collection through iris scanning, which could unveil sensitive personal details.
Regulators worldwide have also taken action regarding Worldcoin’s biometric data collection practices. The National Data Protection Commission in Portugal temporarily suspended Worldcoin for 90 days due to concerns over consent, especially when it comes to collecting scans from minors. Similarly, the Data Protection Agency in Spain issued a three-month ban on Worldcoin’s data collection for the same reasons. Other jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and Kenya, have also initiated investigations and imposed restrictions on the platform’s activities, citing concerns about privacy risks and biometric data collection.
These developments demonstrate the increasing scrutiny of Worldcoin by regulators worldwide, despite Buterin acknowledging their efforts in addressing privacy concerns.