The project is the brainchild of Altman and physicist Alex Blania, which uses biometrics to verify that people are humans and not bots. It is part of their Worldcoin cryptocurrency initiative.
Orbs—silver, futuristic-looking devices resembling bowling balls—will be installed by Worldcoin in three locations in Warsaw, and the network will later be expanded to include other cities. They will scan the irises of people who want to obtain a special digital certificate to prove they are humans, the Rzeczpospolita daily reported.
Despite some strong pushback regarding data protection risks, representatives of Tools for Humanity (TFH), the provider of Worldcoin verification services, argue that amid an artificial intelligence boom and increasing uncertainty about who we are dealing with online, the project is a kind of passport confirming ‘humanity’.
Poland will be the third market in Europe where the innovative venture is being launched.
The project, which was launched worldwide last summer and is financed by Altman, is already operating in Germany, Austria, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and the U.S.
More nations in Central Europe will probably join the list this year. Around 6.5 million users, from almost 40 countries, have already registered in the database.
Red flags
However, some European personal data protection authorities have raised concerns. Consequently, TFH has decided to suspend its operations in Spain and Portugal, although some 500,000 people have already participated in the verification process in each of the Iberian countries.
In order to entice potential users to install the Worldcoin app and scan their irises, the project organizers are tempting them with cryptocurrencies. People who undergo verification can apply for a digital Worldcoin token (its current exchange rate is just over $1.50).
Poland’s Office for Personal Data Protection (UODO), however, cautions that an offer for sharing biometric data in exchange for a relatively paltry financial reward should be a red flag.
“The situation in which people agree to the processing of their data in exchange for various benefits, e.g., discounts or tickets to events, is well known. We have repeatedly warned against such market treatment of their data and appealed [to people] not to act in such a situation without deeper reflection,” the UODO told Rzeczpospolita.
“Consent is often given to the processing of data not only by the entity that collects this data, but also to transfer it to its numerous business partners,” the institution added.
TFH has already had its first successes in Poland, where the verification system is already integrated with platforms such as Telegram, Reddit, and Discord, and even with the popular game Minecraft. Furthermore, TFH is also talking to Polish start-ups about implementing the technology in association with them.
Bid to dispel concerns
Karol Chilimoniuk from TFH told Rzeczpospolita that concerns about the new technology are being dispelled rapidly.
“The regulator had questions about the verification of minors, which is why we decided that an external company would check the age of the person in each of our locations before letting the interested person in. This service is only available to adults,” he said.
“There were also questions about the possibility of deleting one’s data from the system. We have also implemented this, and today the user decides about their data themselves,” Chilimoniuk told Rzeczpospolita.
TFH representatives admit that institutions responsible for data protection have a tough nut to crack.
“We are entering the era of AI. We can already see the problems that are emerging. Deepfake is an advanced technology and increasingly dangerous in the future. The World ID digital passport, confirming not so much our identity as our humanity, is the answer to these challenges,” Chilimoniuk said.
