Worldcoin, led by Sam Altman, has restarted its services in South Korea after a two-month suspension, as reported by Digital Today. The project uses a device called "Orbs" to gather biometric data through iris scans from willing users.
The suspension came after complaints were lodged against Worldcoin in February for their data collection methods. The Korean Personal Information Protection Committee (PIPC) launched a probe into the project to determine if any local privacy laws were breached. As a result, six Orbs in Seoul were temporarily shut down until further notice.
Although the Orbs are back in operation, the investigation is ongoing, with South Korean authorities yet to announce any legal actions against Worldcoin. The company argues that the iris bio-data cannot be used to identify individuals, focusing instead on providing "proof of personhood" to differentiate humans from artificial intelligence. Worldcoin's goal is to distribute its WLD token as a form of universal basic income to individuals who may lose their jobs to artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the future.
Despite Worldcoin's claims of addressing privacy concerns by allowing users to delete their data and eliminating data custody processes, countries like France and Spain have ordered the suspension of Worldcoin's activities within their borders due to potential risks related to personal data tracking and breaches. The PIPC will continue its investigation and will take appropriate action in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act.
