WorldCoin’s latest invention, the Orb Mini, has ignited another wave of skepticism and satire across the global crypto community, especially on social media. Designed as a more compact version of the original Orb, the Orb Mini is a portable iris scanner intended to verify users’ “humanness” and issue them a unique World ID recorded on the blockchain.
Unveiled at the “At Last” event in San Francisco on April 30 2025, the Orb Mini was marketed with the tagline “It goes where you go”, emphasizing its mobility. But rather than excitement, the device has mostly inspired ridicule.
From being compared to dystopian tech to being called out for its unclear use case, the global crypto community – particularly on Crypto Twitter – has not held back.
“The thing about humans is they can tell when a human is in front of them,” quipped Alicia Katz of Euler Finance, capturing a general sentiment.
“When something is slightly off, they can experience the uncanny valley – an uncomfortable feeling similar to when your date tries to scan your eyeball.”
Another user joked, “Is this so you can register your friends?”, comparing the device to a prop straight out of science fiction.
WorldCoin’s Struggles Beyond the Hype
The backlash isn’t just online humor. Several users and industry voices are raising valid concerns about security, privacy, and ethical use, with some questioning whether the device could be easily spoofed by AI-generated imagery. One sarcastic comment even proposed “a rectal probe” as a more secure option — a joke that underlines how invasive and absurd the concept seems to some.
The CEO of Swan Bitcoin, Cory Klippsten, labeled the Orb Mini a “creepy dystopia-shilling” tool, suggesting the entire project reflects more about its creators’ insecurities than any real-world need for trust verification.
In Africa, where Worldcoin previously ran into regulatory trouble, the rollout of yet another biometric device raises even more serious questions. Kenya, for instance, temporarily banned Worldcoin’s operations in 2023, citing unresolved concerns over data protection and citizen privacy. The Communications Authority of Kenya, alongside the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), raised red flags about collecting sensitive biometric data without sufficient legal frameworks in place.
On May 5, 2025, the High Court of Kenya ruled that Worldcoin’s activities in the country were illegal, citing violations of the Data Protection Act of 2019.
REGULATION | Kenya High Court Declares @worldcoin Operations Illegal, Orders Deletion of Biometric Data
Justice Aburili emphasized that Worldcoin’s operations infringed on Kenyans’ constitutional right to privacy.https://t.co/AHnH6TtksO #Worldcoin #DataPrivacy pic.twitter.com/8CLZBLuEpm
— BitKE (@BitcoinKE) May 6, 2025
Bitcoinke.io has highlighted how regulatory scrutiny remains one of the biggest hurdles for WorldCoin in emerging markets, especially where digital literacy, infrastructure, and awareness about data privacy are still developing.
Furthermore, countries like Brazil and Indonesia have also pushed back, with Indonesia suspending Worldcoin’s registration as recently as May 2025. In Germany, data protection agencies have similarly launched investigations into the legality of biometric data collection.
Despite all the noise, one lingering question remains: What real-world problem is Worldcoin truly solving — especially in African markets where issues like digital inclusion, infrastructure gaps, and economic inequality are more pressing than biometric ID innovation?
[TECH] A Look at WorldCoin, The Cryptocurrency and Identity Project Designed for the Age of Artificial Intelligence: WorldCoin is described as an open-source protocol, or system, created to help give everyon.. https://t.co/KGR86koNK8 via @BitcoinKE
— Top Kenyan Blogs (@Blogs_Kenya) July 1, 2024
Critics argue that a blockchain-based ID system tied to iris scans doesn’t address the immediate challenges Africans face in accessing financial services. Moreover, many worry that the long-term implications of handing over sensitive biometric data – particularly in jurisdictions with weak enforcement of data rights – are not being considered seriously enough.
While Worldcoin’s vision of a global identity system may appeal to the crypto elite and Big Tech evangelists, its reception in Africa is likely to remain cautious – if not outright resistant – unless clear, transparent safeguards are put in place. For now, the Orb Mini feels more like a tech curiosity than a solution grounded in the continent’s digital realities.
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