World (Sam Altman) pauses iris scanning operations in Germany for restructuring

World, the controversial cryptocurrency project co-founded by #SamAltman , has paused iris scanning (Orb) operations in Germany. The company is updating its legal structure and data processing procedures, while planning to open a flagship store in Munich.

Context and reason for the pause

This pause comes after the German data protection authority ordered #world to delete the collected iris codes in December 2024 due to violations of GDPR data protection regulations. World has been under investigation since 2022 due to concerns over the handling of sensitive biometric data.

World stated that they are updating the Orb stations and will relaunch operations in Germany at an unspecified time. The World crypto wallet app (WorldApp) continues to operate normally.

Goals and challenges of World

The World project aims to verify human identity in the age of developing AI, using iris codes as WorldID. In return, users receive WLD tokens. However, World has faced significant criticism regarding data privacy and issues such as hiring refugees to scan irises in Berlin.

To address data concerns, World has begun storing and encrypting iris data on multiple servers since May, aiming to make personal identification through iris codes impossible. Nevertheless, the legal battle with the German data protection authority is ongoing. #anhbacong