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The government of Argentina informed it had opened an investigation into the data collection activities that Worldcoin is executing in the country. The Public Information Access Agency (AAIP), the data comptroller in the country, sent a letter to the Worldcoin Foundation requesting information about how the personal data of Wordcoin users is treated.
Argentina to Probe Worldcoin Data Treatment
The government of Argentina has announced that it started a probe into Worldcoin, the biometric ID and wallet project, and its data procedures. The Public Information Access Agency (AAIP), the data comptroller organization in the country, sent a letter on August 7 to the Worldcoin Foundation requesting data to verify that the company is taking all the measures available to protect the privacy of the citizens participating in the project.
The formal probe follows a legal complaint presented by Daniel Monastersky, partner at Data Governance Latam, based on possible violations of the Personal Data Protection Act and the lack of compliance in dealing with the biometric data collected.
In a recent press release, the government stated that if issues are found after this probe, they “will take appropriate steps to address any identified issues and ensure that the company complies with security and privacy standards.”
According to the AAIP, the Wordcoin Foundation must follow the procedures established in the Personal Data Protection Act, which include registering with the institution, delivering information about its data treatment policies, indicating the reason for requiring data, and informing about the time of conservation of this information.
Furthermore, Worldcoin also needs to detail the safety and confidentiality measures it applies to safeguard the personal information of Argentine citizens.
International Opposition
While Sam Altman, one of the co-founders of the Worldcoin project, has publicly stated that its goal is to register 2 billion people, the project has gained opposition in several countries of the world due to its intrusive personal data requirements, which include scanning the irises of the users to verify their identities.
Argentina is the latest of several countries currently probing the operations of the Worldcoin Foundation. French and Bavarian data regulators are also on top of the foundation regarding data treatment practices.
Worldcoin’s verification operations in Kenya have been suspended since August 2. On August 6, Kenyan police raided Worldcoin offices, confiscating the devices for storing users’ data.
What do you think about the probe procedure opened by the Argentine government against Worldcoin? Tell us in the comments section below.