The World project, formerly known as Worldcoin and created by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, has come under sharp criticism from experts and the public. The main focus of complaints is the risks of centralization and the methods of user identification through iris scanning.
This is reported by Business • Media
Doubts About Transparency and Control Over Biometric Data
Among the main concerns of experts is that World’s approach to processing biometric data does not align with its claims of a decentralized nature. A special device called Orb is used for user identification, while key processes remain inaccessible to the community. Although the company claims to employ modern privacy protection technologies, such as zero-knowledge proofs and multiparty computation, experts emphasize that there is no community control over these processes.
«Decentralization is not just a technical architecture. It is a philosophy that centers on user control, privacy, and self-sovereignty,» emphasized co-founder of the Holonym Foundation, Shady El Damaty.
Critics draw parallels between World and OpenAI’s activities, noting that the company adopts data collection practices without sufficient user consent, but now in the biometric sphere. Experts particularly highlight that residents of developing countries may not always be aware of the risks posed by such biometric data collection systems and may carelessly agree to iris scanning.
Company Response and Expert Positions
The World company rejects accusations of centralization and privacy violations, emphasizing that personal data is not stored, and iris information is encrypted and immediately deleted from the Orb device. However, concerns remain. Several governments, including those of Germany, Kenya, Brazil, and Indonesia, have already expressed their worries about the security of citizens’ biometric data.
Another important aspect is the risk of digital inequality: if access to digital services depends on the submission of biometric data, it could create a hierarchy—some people will gain full access, while others will remain excluded from the digital system. Critics emphasize that the future of decentralized identification should be based on open standards, distributed governance, and a rejection of biometric data collection.
At the same time, co-founder of Privado ID, Evin McMullen, urges not to ignore the issue of identity verification, stressing that in a world of rapid artificial intelligence development, this is already becoming a matter of national security. She reminds of the risks of misinformation, fraud, and cyberattacks if reliable identification systems are not established.
«Without reliable verification systems, we risk facing an explosion of misinformation, fraud, and cyberattacks from invisible agents,» she noted.
It is worth noting that in October 2024, the Worldcoin team rebranded to World, and in May 2025, the project raised $135 million in a private token sale.