REGULATION | Kenya Data Protection Office Issues Notice as Locals Throng for WorldCoin Registration

Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) has asked Kenyans to be vigilant as hundreds continue to throng some venues in the country to register to the WorldCoin program.

According to local reports, ODPC said that it was aware that WorldCoin had been launched in the country and that it was processing sensitive personal data in a manner that required demonstration of proper safeguards under the Data Protection Act, 2019.

“As the ODPC conducts its assessment of WorldCoin’s practices to ensure compliance with the law, Kenyans are urged to ensure that they receive proper information before disclosing any personal or sensitive data,” reads the statement in part.

“Individuals are advised to thoroughly inquire about how their data will be used.”

According to multiple reports, many Kenyans are eager to line up for the free tokens ($WLD) being provided by WorldCoin once they scan their irises using machines (orbs) situated across 35 countries in the world, include various shopping centers in Nairobi, Kenya.

About 350,000 Kenyans are said to have registered to the platform, as founder, Sam Altman, claims 8 people across the world are being on-boarded per second. According to one report, the first free 25 $WLD tokens are worth about Ksh. 7,786 ($54.60).

According to its website, the WorldCoin protocol is intended to be the world’s largest identity and financial public network, open to everyone regardless of their country, background, or economic status.

“Kenya is the financial and tech hub of East Africa, and there’s a strong, natural interest here in the technologies that are shaping the global digital economy,” Wangechi Mwangi, Market Manager for Tools For Humanity, the organization running WorldCoin East Africa, said.

“WorldCoin is a good example of that kind of technology, not only because of the service it provides but because, through the engagement of Tools for Humanity, it allows Kenyans to learn more about cutting-edge financial and identity products,” it stated.

The WorldCoin initiative provides individuals who register with a digital identification aiming to differentiate human users from artificial intelligence (AI) systems on the internet.

According to the founder, the utilization of eye-scanning technology is crucial to prepare for a future where differentiating between humans and robots becomes progressively difficult, mainly due to the rapid advancements in AI technology.