Thailand Clamps Down on Worldcoin’s Biometric Data Collection
Thai authorities have ordered Sam Altman’s Worldcoin project to cease operations and delete iris scans from 1.2 million users, marking a significant escalation in regulatory scrutiny of the controversial digital identity platform. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) issued the directive after determining Worldcoin’s token-for-iris model violated Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
The enforcement follows an October raid on a Worldcoin-linked facility in Bangkok. Senior officials from Thailand’s data protection and electronic transaction agencies confirmed the project’s biometric data practices were unlawful. This action represents the strongest regulatory MOVE against Worldcoin in Southeast Asia to date.