The UK Information Commissioner’s Office, the national data privacy watchdog, will query Worldcoin following British sign-ups at sites in London.
According to a spokesperson, the data watchdog is aware of the airdrop of the Worldcoin (WLD) cryptocurrency to UK registrants and “will be making further inquiries.”
No US Airdrop For Worldcoin as Regulations Stall
According to a UK government website, the role of the ICO is to promote open access to information and protect individuals’ data privacy. Hence, the inquiry would likely evaluate Worldcoin’s commitment to protect the privacy of UK citizens, who could sign up at various sites in London.
To register for a WorldID, interested users must download the World app that will enable, amongst other things, to qualify for them for a possible universal basic income scheme. The app generates keys that will be linked with a hash of the image of their eye to establish their identity as a unique human.
Despite sign-ups in New York and other American regions, Monday’s airdrop of WLD excluded the US amid uncertainty on digital asset regulations.
UK Information Commissioner Query Adds to Sam Altman Scrutiny
Worldcoin is the third project from entrepreneur Sam Altman to place him in the crosshairs of regulators.
In addition to co-founding the company behind Worldcoin, Altman leads ChatGPT developer OpenAI and chairs a nuclear start-up. He has also invested in Elon Musk’s brain implant start-up and a company hoping to lengthen human life.
Regulators in the US and Europe are probing whether AI tools like ChatGPT can harm consumers and violate data privacy.
Last week, Altman and several other tech company executives agreed to voluntary safeguards to limit the threats AI poses. The Biden-Harris administration has also released a National AI R&D Strategic Plan to promote responsible innovation.
Earlier this year, the US Federal Trade Commission said it was investigating if ChatGPT harmed US consumers through disinformation. It is also looking into whether the company used deceptive data privacy tactics.
Read our review of ChatGPT here.
Europe’s concerns about ChatGPT’s use of data prompted Altman to consider pulling the product from the region. The entrepreneur later recanted.
After yesterday’s launch, the Worldcoin token surged to $3.30 before falling roughly one-third to $2.12 at press time.
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