The National Court of Spain confirmed on Monday the temporary ban on Worldcoin iris scanning, a project that created concerns about privacy in several countries, including Argentina, where it is estimated that more than 360,000 have already been scanned in the City of Buenos Aires alone. In fact, a few months ago we noticed that in several parts of the country and in the southern suburbs, in particular, long lines of people waiting to have their eyes scanned in exchange for money.
People who want to do the study in exchange for cryptocurrencies They must download an application on their cell phone and reserve an appointment. That day they must appear at the location and undergo an iris reading in their eyes.
During the program “Argentina en Vivo” C5N They described last weekend that queues are generated due to the number of people who show up for the study. They even explained that, after the iris scan, they give you three bonus coins and then 10 more.
Additionally, if a person who took the study invites another person to do it, they give you more coins. Then, people who want to change the cryptocurrencies They can do so by transferring them to a virtual wallet or bank account.
The truth is that a company pays up to $100,000 in digital currencies in exchange for people providing that data. For this reason, great controversy arose around the study.
Iris Reading: What is Worldcoin
Co-founded by CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, in 2019, worldcoin has as purpose create a global identity system making people scan their irises in exchange for cryptocurrencies free tickets and a digital ID.
The proposal is based on the person must enable access to their personal information (your biometric data) and, in exchange, to be able to access the cryptocurrency, you must download the World App application. After enabling access to your own profile and with some cryptocurrencies in the account, the user has the option to exchange it for bonuses. Until December Last year the firm offered up to a number of cryptocurrencies that had a value of 60 dollars. In January the figure was around 22 dollars.
The ban on iris reading in Spain
The company was temporarily banned on Wednesday at Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) following complaints of insufficient information, the collection of data from minors and not allowing withdrawal of consent.
The AEPD said that the processing of biometric datawhich enjoy special protection under the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Uniona, “it entails high risks for people’s rights, taking into account their sensitive nature”.
Therefore, he asked Worldcoin to stop collecting personal information and stop using the data which I had already collected.
He court of Spain said in a statement that the “safeguard of the general interest” must prevail, dismissing an appeal from Worldcoin owners asking for the ban to be lifted while it deliberates.
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Worldcoin’s response on iris scanning ban
Worldcoin stated in a statement on its website that the Spanish regulator had circumvented the “process and standards accepted by the EU”, without giving more details. The company alleged that the regulator’s decision “it would cause enormous harm and irreparable damage both in Spain and throughout the world”according to the court.
Worldcoin also argued that the court was not competent and that the data agency of the German state of Bavaria, where the company is based, should be in charge of evaluating whether the company complies with data protection regulations. On Monday, a Worldcoin spokesperson said that the company was in full compliance with all laws and regulations that govern the collection and transfer of biometric data.
“We look forward to having the opportunity to demonstrate this compliance and provide the regulator with accurate and important information about this essential and legal technology in the Spanish National Court,” the spokesperson added.
People who signed up for the iris reading
More of Four million people from 120 countries signed up to have their iris scanned by Worldcoin, according to its website, and queues of people eager to sign up to try the new tool have formed in Spanish metro stations in recent weeks.
But The project drew criticism from privacy advocates from Argentina to Germany. for the collection, storage and use of personal data.
The National Court of Spain said that, in case of a possible favorable ruling that would lift the prohibitionthe company would be compensated for any loss of income, thus rejecting the “irreparable harm” argument alleged by the appellant.
Source: Ambito
