German regulators demand Worldcoin to delete non-compliant data, EU GDPR sparks digital identity verification controversy

The Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA), on 12/19, issued several modification requirements for the biometric data processing technology of the digital identity project Worldcoin, and requested that Worldcoin must activate the data deletion process in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) within one month after the judgment takes effect to ensure the legality of data processing Compliance. In response to this requirement, the World Foundation expressed dissatisfaction and filed an appeal, hoping that the regulatory agency could clarify whether its data processing technology complies with GDPR's definition of data anonymization.

World's data challenges and Compliance issues

Worldcoin is a digital identity project co-founded by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. It focuses on using biometric iris scanning technology for identity authentication and is set to be officially launched in July 2023. However, due to the controversial data collection method, it has attracted the attention of BayLDA for investigation as early as 2023.

After BayLDA began its investigation in 2023, World voluntarily suspended its operations in some EU countries. Michael Will, Chairman of BayLDA, stated that this decision was made to ensure that users can request the deletion of personal data at any time, safeguarding user data rights.

German regulatory documents on Worldcoin. Specific modification requirements of BayLDA.

In addition to the requirement to establish a data deletion process that complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), BayLDA also has specific requirements for World.

Delete illegally collected data: Request World to delete the data collected during the summer event in 2023, as these data lack sufficient legal basis.

The user explicitly agrees that any future data processing behavior must be approved by the user before proceeding.

Minor protection measures: Some users have complained about issues related to the protection of minor users, and BayLDA will launch further investigations.

World seeks to clarify the definition of data 'anonymization'

In response to BayLDA's request, the World Fund stated in an official statement that this incident highlights the lack of consistency standards and definitions in the EU's data anonymization, which may limit the application of privacy protection technologies.

World Foundation mentioned in the official Chinese.

The importance of anonymization: Data anonymization is a key technology to ensure user privacy, not just simply deleting data.

Clear legal definition: Currently, GDPR lacks clear anonymization standards, especially against the backdrop of rapid AI development, which may affect privacy protection capabilities.

World's official statement on data anonymization

The World Foundation has appealed to confirm whether its technology meets the EU's definition of anonymization. At the same time, World has promised to continue to cooperate with regulatory agencies in the EU and other regions to ensure a win-win situation for privacy protection and technological innovation.

This article German regulators require Worldcoin to remove non-compliant data, and the EU GDPR has sparked controversy over digital identity verification first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.