Brazil bans Sam Altman’s World from paying Brazilians for their iris scans.

Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) has issued an order prohibiting Sam Altman's company, Tools for Humanity, from offering cryptocurrency compensation in exchange for iris scans. This decision stems from concerns that such incentives could unduly influence individuals and compromise the "free, informed, unequivocal" consent required for the processing of sensitive biometric data.

According to the ANPD, consent for the processing of sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, must be freely given and obtained in a clear and transparent manner. The ANPD argues that offering cryptocurrency incentives could coerce individuals into providing their biometric data, potentially undermining the integrity of the consent process.

This decision has significant implications for the future of Worldcoin and other projects that rely on the collection of biometric data. It underscores the importance of robust data privacy regulations and highlights the need for careful consideration of ethical and legal implications when developing and deploying new technologies that involve the collection and use of sensitive personal data.

The ANPD's decision serves as a strong message that the collection of biometric data must be conducted with utmost respect for individual rights and privacy. It remains to be seen how Worldcoin will respond to this ruling and how this decision will impact its future operations in Brazil and other countries.