CA and Data Commissioner Warn Kenyans Over Worldcoin

The Authority and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) have warned Kenyans over the activities of crypto platform Worldcoin in the country.

In a joint statement to the media on Wednesday, the CA and the ODPC raised a number of regulatory issues with Worldcoin which warranted a multi-agency inquiry to understand its operations and implications on users of the service.

The statement identified obtaining consumer (data subject) consent in exchange for monetary reward which borders on inducement, as a major concern.

The other issues include lack of clarity on the security and storage of the collected sensitive data (facula recognition and iris scans), inadequate information on cybersecurity safeguards and standards and massive citizen data in the hands of private actors without an appropriate framework.

‘‘These issues require comprehensive inquiry to enable regulators to advise stakeholders on appropriate measure to protect public interest,’’ reads the statement in part.

The regulators observed that Worldcoin has faced similar inquiries in other jurisdictions such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and India.

“Arising from these preliminary observations, a multi-agency investigation is underway. Consequently, and as directed by the Government, the WorldCoin must cease its data collection activities in Kenya until further notice.”

The two institutions have urged the public to exercise caution when providing personal data to private actors.