Brazilian Data Protection Agency Reveals Investigation Into Iris Scanning World Project

Brazilian Data Protection Agency Reveals Investigation Into Iris Scanning World Project

World Faces Increased Supervision From Brazilian Data Protection Institutions

World, the project formerly known as Worldcoin, is under increased scrutiny from Brazilian authorities regarding its biometric data collection activities. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), Brazil’s data watchdog, has issued a statement confirming its active monitoring of the project and an ongoing investigation into its practices and the handling of private biometric data.

Heightened Protection Regime for Biometric Data

Given the sensitivity of biometric data, the ANPD has categorized World under a stricter protection regime than other companies. The agency emphasized:

"Due to the higher risks that the processing of this type of personal data can pose, the legislator has granted them a more rigorous protection regime, limiting the legal hypotheses that authorize their processing."

In this case, the biometric data refers to the unique code generated from users' iris scans, captured by specialized hardware cameras known as "orbs." In exchange for this data, World provides users with rewards in its digital currency, which is deposited into a wallet linked to their account.

ANPD’s Demands and Investigation Focus

The ANPD has requested comprehensive details about World’s data processing activities, including:

• The context and operations involved in processing biometric data.

• The legal basis for such processing.

• Transparency regarding how personal data is handled.

• Mechanisms ensuring users’ rights over their personal data.

• The potential consequences of data processing for privacy and data protection.

• Specific measures for safeguarding data related to children and adolescents.

• Information security protocols and data protection measures in place.

These documents have been submitted to the ANPD, which is currently analyzing the information.

World’s Presence in Brazil

World commenced operations in Brazil in November, boasting over 150,000 users who have scanned their irises to participate in the project. The ANPD’s probe highlights the growing global concern over the collection and usage of sensitive biometric data, particularly in large-scale projects like World.