- Worldcoin, the biometric iris scanning project, confronts the AEPD’s ban in Spain.
- Tools For Humanity, the company behind Worldcoin, files a complaint, alleging GDPR procedural violations.
- The dispute centers on the AEPD’s jurisdiction and its circumvention of established GDPR procedures.
The Legal Clash
The clash between Worldcoin and the Spanish data protection agency, AEPD, has escalated as Tools For Humanity, the driving force behind Worldcoin, takes legal action. The recent complaint alleges that the AEPD’s actions, including the ban on operations and data withdrawal requirements for Spanish users, deviate from the established procedures outlined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union (EU).
Worldcoin contends that the AEPD lacks jurisdiction to impose an operations ban on the company in Spain. According to GDPR guidelines, the pertinent data protection agency in this case is the one situated where Worldcoin is incorporated— the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA). Tools For Humanity emphasizes that the AEPD’s actions are limited to Spain, failing to align with broader EU regulations.
Compliance and Operations Status
Tools For Humanity emphasizes Worldcoin’s compliance with GDPR procedures, highlighting regular interactions with the BayLDA, the overseeing authority. Jannick Preiwisch, the data protection officer at the Worldcoin Foundation, expresses disappointment in the AEPD’s deviation from established protocols.
Despite the legal battle, World ID verification services, incorporating biometric scan operations, have been temporarily halted in Spain. Notably, the World App services, linked to the digital wallet aspect of the project, remain accessible, underscoring Tools For Humanity’s commitment to maintaining certain operations during this legal dispute.