The Spanish Data Protection Agency (¨AEPD¨) has adopted decisive measures against Tools for Humanity Corporation, ordering them to cease the collection and processing of personal data, as well as those already collected through iris scanning in their Worldcoin project.
This action, established as a precautionary measure for a maximum period of three months, aims to prevent the possible transfer of data to third parties and to safeguard the fundamental right to the protection of personal data.
The AEPD has based its decision on several complaints that had been filed, for reasons of insufficient information, collection of data from minors and lack of permissions to withdraw consent, among others.
In the context of the case, Tools for Humanity Corporation has been scanning the eyes of people in 120 countries in exchange for cryptocurrencies through Worldcoin. The specific use of this data is still unclear, and experts are already warning about the associated control technologies. As of November 2023, 3.4 million records had been registered, of which 360,000 correspond to eye pairs in Spain.
This event only underscores the importance of data protection in an increasingly digital world. It also highlights the imperative need to prioritize and strengthen data protection by establishing ethical boundaries and strong regulations.
