Kenyan Court Orders Deletion of Worldcoin Biometric Data

A Kenyan High Court has ruled that Sam Altman’s Worldcoin project illegally collected biometric data from citizens through cryptocurrency payments. The court mandated deletion of all acquired data within seven days under government oversight, citing violations of Kenya’s Data Protection Act.

The decision marks another regulatory setback for the controversial identity verification project, which has faced scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions. Worldcoin’s practice of offering crypto incentives for iris scans drew particular criticism from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

This ruling amplifies growing global concerns about blockchain projects handling sensitive personal information. Kenya becomes the latest nation to restrict Worldcoin’s operations amid tightening regulatory frameworks for crypto-related data collection.