The data protection authority of Portugal, known as the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados, has taken action against Sam Altman’s iris-scanning project, Worldcoin, by issuing an order to halt the collection of biometric data within the country’s borders for 90 days.
This directive, announced via an official statement on Tuesday, marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny faced by Worldcoin’s controversial project.
Amid mounting concerns regarding privacy violations and data security, the CNPD revealed that it had been inundated with a substantial volume of complaints over the past month. These grievances encompassed a range of issues, including but not limited to the unauthorized gathering of personal data from minors, inadequacies in the provision of information to affected individuals, and the apparent inability to effectively erase collected data or withdraw consent.
The CNPD’s intervention underscores the seriousness with which regulatory bodies are approaching the proliferation of biometric data collection initiatives, particularly those that exhibit lapses in compliance with established data protection laws and regulations.
By imposing a temporary cessation of operations, the CNPD aims to ensure that Worldcoin adheres to the highest standards of data privacy and transparency during its activities within Portugal.
This directive comes on the heels of a similar suspension of Worldcoin’s operations in Spain, which occurred just the week prior. The parallel actions taken by regulatory authorities in both countries signal a coordinated effort to address the fundamental issues raised by Worldcoin’s biometric data collection practices, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to legal requirements and ethical principles in the deployment of such technologies.
