PCPD Issues Warning on Worldcoin
Last year, the cryptocurrency project Worldcoin, co-founded by Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT’s parent company OpenAI, was launched. It has continued to stir privacy debates. Like many other parts of the world, it was made available to Hong Kong residents last year. In return for completing iris scanning and registration, users in the region began receiving a reward of 25 WLD tokens. Following today’s court-ordered operation on six Worldcoin verification zones by the PCPD, the project’s future in China’s special administrative region is being questioned.
The PCPD entered six Worldcoin verification zones with a court decision under the KVKK and conducted investigations, requesting various documents and information from the relevant parties. The agency reported that Worldcoin’s operations in Hong Kong pose serious personal data privacy risks, suggesting that the collection and processing of sensitive personal data by the organization may violate KVKK. Officials have taken the initiative to start an investigation into Worldcoin in accordance with procedures established by the PCPD to protect personal data privacy.
PCPD’s Loretta Chung Urges Public Caution
Loretta Chung from PCPD invited the public to be cautious about projects like Worldcoin, advising them to be vigilant in protecting their sensitive personal data and not to participate in activities that collect sensitive personal information such as iris scans indiscriminately. She emphasized the importance of being aware of the risks before giving out biometric data.
The PCPD highlighted that iris information is usually a unique and immutable type of biometric data that can be considered sensitive personal data. In Hong Kong, any person or organization collecting, holding, processing, or using personal data as a data user must comply with the requirements of KVKK and the relevant data protection principles.
Worldcoin’s Operations Prompt Official Response
According to Worldcoin’s introduction, the project’s primary goal is to use Blockchain technology to establish a digital identity and digital currency asset system that includes a global identity (World ID), a currency (World Coin), and an electronic wallet (World App) linking identity and currency.
For people to participate in the project, iris scanning is required. This has drawn the attention of officials in various regions due to KVKK, raising concerns about compliance and privacy.
