Cryptocurrency Project Utilizing Eyeball Scanning, Led by Sam Altman, Makes First Appearance in the U.S.
Rewritten Article:
Eye on World: The Scan-to-Earn Crypto Hub Enters the US
Get ready to scan your peepers and earn free crypto! World, the eyeball-scanning project with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the helm, has officially launched in the U.S. After careful consideration, World, previously known as Worldcoin, is now providing its services in six major cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
While World has been touring its orbs across the U.S. for promotional purposes, it had not yet offered full services domestically. The delayed U.S. debut comes after the project faced regulatory risks in the past. However, under the current administration, it seems that the landscape has shifted.
World's decision comes at a time when the U.S. is at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation, making it the perfect artificial intelligence hub to embrace proof of human. The project believes that its biometric credential is essential in a world increasingly populated by AI-generated content, a concern that, ironically, is exacerbated by Altman's leadership at OpenAI.
According to World, more than 12 million people have already enrolled on its platform, with over 400,000 signing up in just the last week. The company claims that its World ID is a privacy-focused digital identity solution, offering cryptographic protections and storing data on users' devices rather than central servers.
However, privacy activists, data watchdogs, and regulators worldwide have expressed concerns about World. Reports of police raids on World outposts in multiple countries have led to disruptions in operations, such as in Hong Kong. In Germany, regulators demanded the deletion of biometric data due to GDPR violations, a decision that World challenges. In Brazil, the appeal to lift restrictions on operations was recently denied.
Reports also allege that recruitment tactics have been questionable, with orb operators coercing individuals into scans and a black market for iris data emerging. As of Wednesday, World announced new integrations with Tinder's parent company Match Group, prediction market Kalshi, a visa card, and fees for applications using World ID services.
Decrypt reached out to World for comment, while Sebastian Sinclair edited this piece.
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Insights
- While World claims its World ID offers privacy protections, the project has faced criticism and investigations from privacy organizations and regulators.
- Transparency and clear legal frameworks for biometric data collection and use are crucial to address privacy concerns and human rights issues.
- Facial recognition technology and other biometric data practices face controversy and scrutiny in various countries, indicating the need for uniform international regulations.
- The disputed biometric innovation, World, previously known as Worldcoin, has officially entered the U.S., offering its services in six major cities amidst a shift in the regulatory landscape.
- With over 12 million enrollees and 400,000 new sign-ups in the last week, World claims its World ID as a privacy-focused digital identity solution.
- Despite World's claims of cryptographic protections and decentralized data storage, privacy activists, data watchdogs, and regulators worldwide have raised concerns, leading to disruptions in operations across different countries.
- As World integrates with Tinder's parent company Match Group, prediction market Kalshi, a visa card, and introduces fees for applications using World ID services, questions remain about its recruitment tactics and the emerging black market for iris data.
- In the crypto market, World's move comes at a time when the U.S. is at the forefront of artificial-intelligence innovation, sparking debates about the necessary transparency and legal frameworks for biometric data collection and use.
- As World navigates these challenges, the need for clear regulations and uniform international practices becomes increasingly evident in addressing privacy concerns and upholding human rights in the era of artificial-intelligence and biometric technologies.
