The Government has suspended activities related with Worldcoin until relevant public agencies certify that they are no risks associated with it to the general public.
Additionally, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki emphasizes in a statement that any natural or legal person who furthers assists, abets, engages in, or is connected with the aforementioned activities would face consequences.
Relevant security, financial services and data protection agencies have commenced inquiries and investigations to establish the authenticity and legality of the aforesaid activities, the safety and protection of the data being harvested, and how the harvesters intend to use the data.
Kithure Kindiki Interior Cabinet Secretary
This comes after last year an official report from the Ministry Of Information, Communication and Technology revealed on how a number of Kenyans were duped on believing they were purchasing cryptocurrencies.
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However, ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo claimed in an NTV interview that Worldcoin is operating lawfully in the nation.
He said that OpenAI’s operations in the nation are known to the government and that the corporation requested authorization months before the Worldcoin registration process started last week.
This is something that started in April. We have a fully-fledged Data Commissioner’s office charged with the regulation of data security and privacy.
In April, the office of the Data Commissioner got wind of Worldcoin and wrote them a letter to clarify what they wanted to do
The CS stated that according to the data provided to the Data Commissioner, the organization has not violated any legal requirements under the current legislative frameworks, and they have been in contact with Worldcoin.
There could be security and regulatory issues around it which we need to improve, but as far as the Data Act is concerned, they were acting within the law.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, founded the initiative, which debuted last week. As part of efforts to establish a new “identity and financial network,” users are required to provide iris scans in exchange for a digital ID, and in some nations, they are also given free cryptocurrencies.
According to local media, as of Tuesday, more than 350,000 Kenyans had registered for Worldcoin in return for free cryptocurrency tokens worth approximately 7,000 Kenyan shillings ($49.09).
People have flocked to registration sites all around the world, including in Kenya, Germany, Spain, and France, to have their eyes scanned by a glittering, spherical “orb” since the program’s introduction.
Additionally, the initiative has drawn criticism in France, Germany, and Britain.
World coin is yet to issue a statement in regards to this.
