US EditionKenya: Court Orders Worldcoin to Delete Kenyans' Biometric Data
- On May 5, 2025, the Kenyan High Court ordered Worldcoin Foundation to delete all biometric data collected from Kenyans and ban further data collection.
- This ruling followed concerns over Worldcoin harvesting iris and facial biometric data without valid consent, violating Kenya's Data Protection Act of 2019.
- The court case was filed by the Katiba Institute which challenged Worldcoin's data practices, noting that biometric data was exchanged for about 7,000 Kenyan shillings in cryptocurrency.
- Following the ruling and Indonesian authorities suspending Worldcoin's registration a day earlier, the project's token value dropped more than 5% within 24 hours amid heightened regulatory scrutiny.
- These legal setbacks highlight growing regulatory challenges for Worldcoin, possibly affecting how global tech firms handle biometric data and identity verification in emerging markets.
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19 Articles
Policy Hackathon on Promoting Safe and Inclusive Digital Spaces in Kenya
KICTANet is inviting applications from grassroots Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) based in Kenya to take part in a Policy Hackathon on Promoting Safe and Inclusive Digital Spaces in Kenya. This Policy Hackathon, is part of our KenSafeSpace Project, which aims to strengthen the voice, capacity and influence of Kenyan human rights organisations to promote and safeguard democratic, safe, and inclusive digi
Worldcoin: Standing up for data protection in Kenya
In May 2025, a Nairobi courtroom became ground zero in a global battle over digital power. Kenya’s High Court declared Worldcoin’s biometric operations illegal—a landmark ruling that may redefine how tech companies engage with the Global South. Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, launched in Kenya in 2023 with a seductive offer: Scan your […]
Kenya Orders Worldcoin to Delete Biometric Data Amid Rising Privacy Concerns - Innovation Village | Technology, Product Reviews, Business
The Kenyan High Court has taken a firm stand on digital privacy by ruling against Worldcoin, the cryptocurrency initiative co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Alex Blanca. The court ordered the company to cease all biometric data collection and processing in Kenya and to permanently delete all previously gathered biometric data within seven days, unless it conducts a proper Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The ruling, delivered on May…
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