The High Court of Kenya Ruling
The High Court of Kenya ruled against the Worldcoin Foundation led by Sam Altman, deeming its biometric data collection activities within Kenya as illegal. According to the court’s decision, iris and facial data collected from Kenyan citizens must be deleted within seven days under the supervision of the appropriate authorities. The ruling was reportedly issued on May 5, 2025.
WLD Coin Ruling
The court found that the data collection process did not adhere to the requirements set by the Kenya Data Protection Act of 2019. The lack of a valid Impact Assessment before initiating the processes and obtainment of user consents through financial incentives were highlighted as key legal violations.
Lady Justice Aburili Roselyne: “Worldcoin Foundation is required to delete the collected biometric data within seven days.”
Legal Battle over WLD Coin
This development in Kenya followed a legal challenge initiated by the Katiba Institute. The organization argued that the data collection conducted through cryptocurrency applications and devices did not comply with national privacy regulations. This objection played a significant role in the court’s decision-making process.
Katiba Institute: “Our Judicial Review Request was accepted, putting an end to the data collection activities.”
In Indonesia, similar regulatory violations led to the suspension of Worldcoin’s registration processes, citing suspicious activities and improper legal representations. Authorities in the country pointed out deficiencies in the documentation by local partners and urged the public to report dubious crypto service providers.
Komdigi Official: “Non-compliance with registration obligations is a serious violation.”
Worldcoin began its operations in Nairobi at the beginning of 2023, offering biometric data to users in exchange for specific crypto assets. However, due to rising security and privacy concerns, the government intervened. Following the registration processes with high participation, the relevant regulatory authorities initiated further investigations. Similar processes are underway globally, but the WLD Coin team is trying to demonstrate that it does not store data on devices, aligning with their previous claims that personal data was not stored.
The legal sanctions in the region have sparked extensive debates over digital data collection and processing practices. Developments at both national and international levels have prompted a reevaluation of data management and privacy. Authorities aim to establish new regulatory standards to prevent similar violations in the future.
