Sam Altman’s Worldcoin Violated Data Policies, Colombia Regulator Says

Colombia’s Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) has accused the decentralized identity project Worldcoin and the company behind it, Tools for Humanity, of alleged violations of the personal data protection regime, the agency said in a statement released Tuesday.

The SIC’s notification against Worldcoin consists of a first act of indictment that is initiated without formal accusation. “The purpose of the proceedings is to determine whether the investigated companies have infringed the Colombian personal data protection regime in the collection of sensitive personal data in relation to the implementation of personal data processing policies and privacy notices,” the SIC detailed.

According to its website, Worldcoin, a crypto startup founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, is currently collecting data of individuals with its Orb device in 25 locations in Colombia, including the capital, Bogota, and six other cities, such as Medellin, Cartagena, and Barranquilla.

If Worldcoin were found guilty, the SIC could impose economic sanctions to temporary suspension (for six months) or immediate and definitive closure of its operation, the agency said.

Different governments in Latin America have already started investigating Worldcoin’s initiatives. In August, just two months after Worldcoin began operating in Ecuador, the country’s central bank issued a reminder that “crypto assets are not a currency.”

In August 2023, the Argentine Agency for Access to Public Information (AAIP) initiated an inquiry targeting Worldcoin to ascertain the legality of its data collection practices.

Worldcoin did not immediately respond to CoinDesk’s request for comment.