Hong Kong privacy watchdog probes Worldcoin

Hong Kong's privacy regulator announced an investigation into Worldcoin's local operations due to 'serious risks to personal data privacy'.

Representatives of the Hong Kong Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCDP) executed warrants on six Worldcoin offices in Hong Kong. Some of the offices had been used to collect iris scans. 

The commissioner's office expressed concern Worldcoin's collection and processing of iris scans may violate the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and could potentially involve the abuse of personal information.

Specifically, the PCDP said it was looking into Worldcoin's data collection activities, whether the organisation had obtained meaningful consent from users, and how people's personal data was being used.

Similar investigations into Worldcoin have been launched in other jurisdictions. 

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3250480/hong-kong-eye-scan-cryptocurrency-scheme-probed-citys-privacy-watchdog

• https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/01/36871974/sam-altmans-worldcoin-under-investigation-in-hong-kong-wld-down-9-dystopian-nightmare-says-trader

• https://www.biometricupdate.com/202401/worldcoins-hong-kong-premises-raided-in-proactive-look-into-breach-of-data-privacy-laws

• https://cointelegraph.com/news/hong-kong-investigate-worldcoin-privacy

Legal, regulatory 👩🏼‍⚖️

• Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (2024). Privacy Commissioner Urges the Public to Stay Vigilant about the Worldcoin Project And Not to Disclose Biometric Data Arbitrarily