A parliamentary committee in Kenya’s government tasked with investigating Worldcoin has recommended that regulators shut down the project’s operations in the country. The committee’s recommendations include having the government consider implementing a comprehensive framework for digital assets and virtual asset service providers in Kenya alongside amending existing regulations to consider cybercrimes and tax reporting requirements.
According to a report released on Sept. 30 by Kenya’s parliament, Worldcoin has continued to collect personal data of Kenya’s residents “in total disregard” of an order to stop issued in May — potentially including information from minors. The committee recommended that Kenyan authorities “disable the virtual platforms” of Worldcoin as well as investigate its companies for potential criminal charges.
The report cited privacy concerns for Kenya’s residents but added that it was difficult or impossible to determine the number of “orbs” in the country — the devices Worldcoin uses to allow users to submit scans of their irises for verification.
Worldcoin, launched with the stated intention of distinguishing real people from bots online by providing retinal scans for identity verification, had millions of sign-ups by July. However, the project has drawn the scrutiny of regulators globally, who claim it is circumventing regulations and guidelines on data protection and user privacy.
Authorities in Germany, Argentina, France, and the United Kingdom have either raised concerns about Worldcoin or launched inquiries into its activities. Cointelegraph reached out to Worldcoin but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
In the realm of Kenyan government affairs, a parliamentary committee, on a mission to investigate Worldcoin, has issued a compelling recommendation. They propose that regulators swiftly shutter the operations of the Worldcoin project within the nation’s borders. But that’s not all; the committee also puts forth an intriguing suggestion: the government should contemplate introducing a comprehensive framework tailored for digital assets and virtual asset service providers in Kenya. Furthermore, it’s high time they revisit the existing regulations to include provisions for cybercrimes and tax reporting requirements.
In a report that saw the light of day on September 30, courtesy of Kenya’s parliament, a troubling revelation unfolds. Worldcoin, despite a prior order to cease and desist issued in May, has persistently gathered personal data from Kenya’s residents. This audacious act may even encompass information from minors. The committee doesn’t mince words; they advise Kenyan authorities to take decisive action, including the disabling of Worldcoin’s virtual platforms and a thorough investigation into the project’s affiliated companies, possibly culminating in criminal charges.
