The High Court of Kenya has ordered Worldcoin to permanently delete biometric data that it has collected from Kenyans in recent years.
Lady Justice Aburili Roselyne on Monday, May 5, ruled that Worldcoin Foundation collected data without following the data protection laws.
Consequently, they were directed to delete the data within 7 days.
Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait was directed to oversee the deletion.
Further, Worldcoin was ordered to immediately stop processing data that was collected from Kenyans.
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The Judge issued a ruling following a petition filed by Katiba Institute, which was questioning the legality of Worldcoin in collecting personal data of Kenyans for the digital cryptocurrency.
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"The Judge has given an order of prohibition restraining Worldcoin Foundation and its agents from further processing, collecting or dealing in Biometric data without undertaking (or using an inadequate) Data Protection Impact Assessment contrary to section 31 of the Data Protection Act, 2019 or using consent obtained by inducement of a cryptocurrency—Worldcoin."
The judge has also issued an order of Certiorari quashing Worldcoin Foundation and its agent’s decision to collect or process biometric data in Kenya without undertaking (or using an inadequate) Data Protection Impact Assessment contrary to section 31 of the Data Protection Act, 2019 and by consent obtained through inducement of a cryptocurrency—Worldcoin," read the statement by Katiba Institute.
The activities of Worldcoin drew the attention of the government in 2023 when Kenyans queued in long lines to register for the digital currency.
In particular, concern was raised given that iris of Kenyans were being scanned during the registration process.
Kenyans whose eyeballs got scanned were receiving 25 free tokens. At the time, the 25 tokens were translating to Ksh Ksh7,786.
Consequently, authorities halted further registration even as Members of Parliament launched investigations into the activities of Worldcoin in Kenya.
"Relevant security, financial services and data protection agencies have commenced inquiries and investigations to establish the authenticity and legality of the aforesaid activities, the safety and protection of the data being harvested, and how the harvesters intend to use the data," the Ministry of Interior announced then.
Equally, the government also barred officials related to Worldcoin from leaving the country pending investigations.
This was after the government established that Worldcoin was not a registered legal entity in Kenya, with another company in Kenya hired to do the data collection.
