Ad Tech & Identity · Biometric digital identity / crypto · Regulatory action
World (Worldcoin / Tools for Humanity)
Headline
World (formerly Worldcoin), co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, scans people's irises with its 'Orb' to issue a 'proof of personhood' ID, historically paying sign-ups in crypto tokens.
Not independently verified. Verification status: Unverified - heuristic first draft. Publish state: draft unverified.
World (formerly Worldcoin), co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, scans people's irises with its 'Orb' to issue a 'proof of personhood' ID, historically paying sign-ups in crypto tokens. Data protection authorities in at least eight countries have ordered it to stop or limit collection: Spain (AEPD, Mar. 2024, suspension upheld against World's court challenge), Portugal (CNPD, Mar. 2024), Hong Kong (PCPD found violations, May 2024), Brazil (ANPD banned paying for iris scans, Jan. 2025), Kenya (ordered deletion of biometric data, May 2025), Indonesia (suspension, May 2025), the Philippines (NPC cease-and-desist incl. App Store removal, Oct. 2025), and Thailand (PDPC ordered halt and deletion of ~1.2 million people's data, Nov. 2025). Recurring findings: invalid consent (payments distort it), poor transparency, minors' data, and excessive biometric collection. World disputes several findings.
- Severity
- Evidence tierUnassigned
- Claims confirmed
- Last verified2026-10-16
Primary source. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_(blockchain) — Unverified - heuristic first draft.
Terms
Arbitration
Yes — binding individual arbitration (JAMS, San Francisco outside EEA; DIS, Berlin inside EEA) with class-action prohibition referenced (User Terms §14); Cayman law outside EEA, German law inside.
Data sharing
Iris and face imaging via Orb for World ID. Privacy notice says 'We do not sell personal data we collect' but third-party advertising cookies may count as sale/share in some jurisdictions; data shared with vendors incl. Tools for Humanity Corp. Multiple DPA orders to halt collection and delete biometric data (Kenya, Thailand).
Fees and billing
Historic token payments for iris scans — Brazil's ANPD banned this as undermining free consent (Jan. 2025).
Contacts
Privacy contact. DPO via Request Portal tfh-privacy.zendesk.com
Legal notice. World Foundation, Suite 3119, 9 Forum Lane, Camana Bay, PO Box 144, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-9006; EU: World Network (Europe) GmbH, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str. 6, 80807 Munich (privacy notice §10).
Mailing address. Not recorded.
Evidence
No claims have been itemized for this row yet.
Sources
| Source | Claim | Tier | Status | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia · 2026-10-16 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_(blockchain) | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “Ordered halt to iris scan service and deletion of data” Quote basis: not recorded. |
| News · 2025-01-26 www.businessday.co.za/bd/companies/telecoms-and-technology/2025-01-26-brazil-stops-tools-for-humanity-paying-for-iris-scans/ | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “may interfere with the free expression of will of individuals” Quote basis: not recorded. |
| News · 2025-10-08 bitpinas.com/regulation/worldcoin-cease-desist/ | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “has committed several violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012” Quote basis: not recorded. |
| News · 2026-02-17 ppc.land/spains-data-regulator-warns-worlds-iris-scan-operator-over-gdpr-risks/ | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “to transfer to the controller the detected risk” Quote basis: not recorded. |
| Company terms · 2026-10-16 world.org/legal/user-terms-and-conditions | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “You must send your email within 30 days of agreeing to these Terms.” Quote basis: not recorded. |
| Company privacy notice · 2026-10-16 world.org/legal/privacy-notice | whole row | Unassigned | confirmed | “We do not sell personal data we collect” Quote basis: not recorded. |
Source vault
Link status: Candidate - not yet fetched
| Document | Last fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy policy https://world.org/legal/privacy-notice | Not fetched yet | NOT CONFIRMED |
| Terms of service https://world.org/legal/user-terms-and-conditions | Not fetched yet | NOT CONFIRMED |
| Website https://world.org | Not fetched yet | — |
| Primary source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_(blockchain) Verification: Unverified - heuristic first draft | Not fetched yet | — |
Enforcement
No enforcement actions are linked to this row.
State statute
Headquarters on file: CA. Provisions of CCPA/CPRA on file:
| Provision | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Right to Deletion Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.105 | hard | source |
| Right to Correction Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.106 | hard | source |
| Right to Know / Access Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.110 | hard | source |
| Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.121; Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7027 | hard | source |
| Right to Data Portability Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.130(a)(3)(B)(iii) | hard | source |
| Privacy Policy / Privacy Notice Requirements Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.130(a)(5); Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7011 | hard | source |
| Sensitive Personal Information — Categories Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.140(ae) | hard | source |
| Service Provider and Contractor Contract Requirements Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.140(ag); Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7051 | hard | source |
| Applicability Threshold (2025 CPI-Adjusted) Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.140(d) | threshold | source |
| Privacy Risk Assessment — Mandatory for High-Risk Processing (Eff. Jan. 1, 2026) Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.185(a)(15); Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, §§ 7150-7157 | hard | source |
| Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.120, 1798.135 | hard | source |
| Sale vs. Sharing Distinction Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.140(ad), 1798.140(ah) | hard | source |
| Enforcement — CPPA and AG; Civil Penalties (2025 CPI-Adjusted) Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.155, 1798.199.90; Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17206 | hard | source |
| Notice at Collection Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7012 | hard | source |
| Cybersecurity Audit — Annual Independent Audit Requirement (Eff. Jan. 1, 2026) Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, §§ 7120-7124 | hard | source |
| Automated Decision-Making Technology (ADMT) — Notice, Opt-Out, and Access Rights Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, §§ 7200-7222; Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.185(a)(16) | hard | source |