Ethereum Founder Vitalik Says Worldcoin is Doing a Great Job

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has reiterated his commendation for the Worldcoin (WLD) team’s efforts to strengthen privacy measures within their platform.

Buterin expressed this appreciation in a recent post on X, acknowledging Worldcoin’s proactive approach to addressing privacy concerns raised by critics. He pointed out that the team has shown dedication to minimizing data usage.

In his words:

“IMO, they actually have been doing quite a good job of taking the privacy critiques seriously and designing their system to be more and more data-minimal.”

IMO they actually have been doing quite a good job of taking the privacy critiques seriously and designing their system to be more and more data-minimal. Modern cryptography is truly amazing.

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) March 29, 2024

The Ethereum co-founder issued this positive remark following a report that the CNPD, Portugal’s data regulator, has ordered Worldcoin to halt biometric data collection for 90 days.

This move represents the latest regulatory setback for Worldcoin’s iris-scanning project, which has faced privacy concerns in various countries.

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In response to the development, X user Louis Anslow attempted to highlight the irony of the situation by mentioning that he had his privates scanned in Portugal in 2021 using a German orb.

On this premise, Vitalik Buterin commented that the Worldcoin team has been doing a great job managing the criticisms directed toward their iris-scanning project and data collection practices. Additionally, he expressed admiration for the modern cryptography that the team is championing.

This latest endorsement reaffirms Buterin’s earlier remarks, in which he suggested that Worldcoin’s dedication to privacy protection surpasses those of other centralized authentication solutions.

The Worldcoin Scanning Program

Individuals sign up on Worldcoin by having their iris scanned without providing traditional identification details such as name, physical address, email address, or phone number.  

Significantly, Worldcoin incentivizes participants to undergo facial scans by offering a digital ID and free crypto, WLD. Worldcoin’s website shows over 4.6 million people from 120 countries have registered for this program.

While Worldcoin has seen a warm reception from countries like Argentina, it has faced regulatory concerns from others like Kenya. Portugal is the latest to join the list of countries scrutinizing the Worldcoin iris scanning project.

Earlier this week, Portugal’s data regulator expressed concerns over the potential threat to citizens’ data protection rights. The regulator cited a high risk that warrants immediate intervention to avert serious harm. 

Meanwhile, the regulator revealed that over 300,000 individuals in Portugal have submitted their biometric data to Worldcoin.