Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) issued an order on January 24, halting Tools for Humanity (TFH), the company behind the World
TFH offered cryptocurrency rewards in exchange for collecting biometric data via eye scans. This decision followed an investigation that began in November 2024 after the launch of World ID Orb verifications in the country.
The project, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2019, uses a device called “the orb” to scan irises. The aim is to build a global digital identity and financial system.
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However, the Brazilian watchdog raised concerns about the irreversible nature of biometric data collection and the fact that once such data is collected, it cannot be fully deleted.
ANPD found that providing financial incentives, like cryptocurrency, might influence people’s decisions and compromise their ability to give proper consent.
Brazil’s laws require that consent for sensitive data use must be freely given, informed, and specific. Offering money or other rewards risks pressuring people, especially those in vulnerable situations, to agree without fully considering the consequences.
This is not the first time the World ID project has faced regulatory challenges. In December 2024, German authorities also raised issues with its handling of biometric data. They required the project to comply with European Union data protection laws.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC) recently delayed a decision on corporate involvement in crypto trading. What did they say? Read the full story.
