Thailand Orders Sam Altman’s Worldcoin to Destroy 1.2 Million Iris Scans

The digital identity project World, co-founded by Sam Altman, suffers a major setback in Southeast Asia. Thai authorities demand the immediate deletion of biometric data from over a million users. A decision that rekindles the debate on privacy protection in the age of artificial intelligence.

Worldcoin Forced to Delete Its Biometric Data in Thailand

The National Economic and Social Development Council of Thailand struck hard this Monday. The body, a true strategic planning arm of the kingdom, ordered World to immediately cease its operations. 

The reason cited? A blatant violation of the local law on personal data protection. World’s system is based on a simple principle: scanning users’ irises in exchange for WLD tokens. 

A mechanism that attracted 1.2 million Thais, but now poses a major legal problem.

The regulators’ offensive is not new. Last October, a police raid targeted one of World’s scanning centers in Bangkok. At that time, suspicions concerned possible violations of the digital asset legislation. 

This time, it is the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society that steps up with an uncompromising directive: destroy all collected biometric data.

World Thailand, operated locally by TIDC Worldverse, announced on Sunday on X the suspension of its verifications. However, the company maintains its defense line. 

This decision comes despite our compliance with local laws and regulations, the company said. A stance that reveals the wide gap between the company’s legal interpretation and that of Thai authorities. 

The platform insists on the negative impact for millions of users who relied on this technology to protect against fraud and identity theft.

A Growing Global Controversy

The Thai case is just the tip of the iceberg. Since its launch in July 2023 under the name Worldcoin, the project has accumulated regulatory troubles. Indonesia launched an investigation last May for suspicious activities. 

Germany, Kenya and Brazil have also raised alarms regarding the security of biometric data. This growing distrust reflects a global concern: how to guarantee the confidentiality of information as sensitive as iris fingerprint data?

World strives to reassure by claiming it never stores the scans on the Orb, the capture device. According to the company, only a unique anonymized code is generated.

World does not use centralized biometric infrastructure, the company emphasized last May. An argument that struggles to convince regulators, who seem unimpressed by technical anonymization promises.

The market punishes this accumulation of turbulence. The WLD token currently trades at $0.71, down 6% over seven days. Even more revealing: a 70% plunge recorded over the past year. These figures reflect investor concern in the face of a business model constantly challenged by authorities.

The Thai suspension could mark a turning point for World. Sam Altman, already under pressure with OpenAI, does he really have the resources to wage a global regulatory battle over biometric data? Thailand will probably not be the last country to close its doors. Between technological innovation and respect for privacy, World will have to decide – or risk disappearing amidst growing global distrust.