Worldcoin, the crypto-based digital identity project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has been ordered by the Kenyan High Court to delete all biometric data it collected from citizens permanently.
Justice Aburili Roselyne issued the ruling on Monday, granting a judicial review application brought by the Katiba Institute, a local constitutional advocacy group. The court found that Worldcoin violated Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019, by collecting sensitive biometric data without valid consent and without conducting a mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).
Court declares Worldcoin consent invalid
The court issued three binding orders: a prohibition on further biometric data processing, a certiorari nullifying Worldcoin’s past data collection, and a mandamus compelling the company to delete the data within seven days under the supervision of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). The court also banned Worldcoin from using cryptocurrency as an inducement to collect data.
“The Court affirmed that Worldcoin commenced data collection without valid consent from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) and without conducting the required DPIA, in breach of Sections 25, 26, 29, 30, and 31 of the Data Protection Act, 2019,” ICJ Kenya stated.
Worldcoin’s operations in Kenya have raised concerns since 2023, when it began scanning citizens’ irises using its Orb device and offering $50 worth of its native token (WLD) in return.
The high court and regulatory body in the country criticised the company for exploiting economic hardship to obtain sensitive data.
“Consent issued after an inducement, monetary offers, and cryptocurrency is not free and is illegal,” said Joshua Malidzo Nyawa, counsel for the Katiba Institute. He described the ruling as “a win for the right to privacy in Kenya.”
Global regulatory backlash intensifies
Kenya’s ruling follows similar enforcement actions in Indonesia, where Worldcoin’s activities were suspended for legal violations. Other countries, including Germany, Brazil, and Hong Kong, have raised similar privacy concerns.
Parliament Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah questioned Worldcoin’s presence in Kenya, stating, “The owner of Worldcoin, Sam Altman, is banned from collecting this data in his home country, the US, why do we allow him in Kenya?”
“An order of mandamus compelling the Worldcoin Foundation and its agents to permanently delete (under the supervision of the Data Protection Commissioner) any biometric data collected in Kenya within seven days,” the court ruled.
Despite the setback, Worldcoin continues expanding in the U.S., where it recently launched operations in six cities, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and San Francisco.