Due to privacy concerns, South Korea opened an investigation into Worldcoin after receiving complaints regarding acquiring facial and iris recognition data.
The Personal Information Protection Commission of South Korea said in a press statement on March 4 that it will look into Worldcoin (WLD) in response to reports that it was processing personal data (such iris data) without authorization.
The commission is reportedly going to investigate Worldcoin’s data processing and storage procedures in response to accusations that the company is gathering facial and iris recognition data at about 10 locations nationwide.
The commission further stated that it intends to “take necessary actions by relevant regulations” in the event that any infractions are discovered. Worldcoin had made no public comments on the issue at the time of publication.
The action follows a similar probe launched by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong, which recently raided six locations connected to Worldcoin.
The project’s use of iris-scanning technology was the focus of the investigation because the commission believes it may violate the personal data ordinance’s guidelines for handling sensitive personal data.
Worldcoin has expanded its operations to Singapore and other global locations, demonstrating increased interest in digital identification solutions. As of December 2023, the company recorded over five million account creations but this growth has also drawn criticism and sparked privacy issues, drawing regulatory attention to several nations, including France.
