What you need to know about Worldcoin
Worldcoin is a digital identification platform that aims to provide each person on earth with a convenient way to verify that they are a real human and not a bot or an AI algorithm.
According to Forbes Writer, The company building Worldcoin—Tools for Humanity—was cofounded by Altman, who is better known for creating ChatGPT. Ironically, Altman has played a central role in sparking the current AI gold rush, which has significantly worsened the very problem Worldcoin proposes to solve.
Worldcoin has built its digital passport system using the cryptographic and blockchain tools that support the wider world of cryptocurrency. It also supports the WLD crypto token, plus a payments platform.
The heart of the platform is World ID, which the company claims will enable users to “verify their humanness” online while maintaining their privacy. This so-called “proof of personhood” is created by an iris-scanning device called the Orb.
Much like fingerprints, every person’s iris pattern is different. The Orb scans a user’s iris and uses its structure to create a unique identification code called an IrisCode. The code is not associated with a user’s personal information—it exists solely to prevent people from acquiring more than one World ID.
After the Orb scans your iris and saves an anonymous IrisCode, it then issues your World ID. It also permanently deletes each iris image. The system does not depend on pointing scanners at your eyeballs each time you need to verify your identity.
Each World ID is added to the Worldcoin blockchain, and users deploy a cryptographically secure app to identify themselves.
Statistics: how many Kenyans have had their eyes scanned?
According to reports by the local media 350,000 Kenyans had signed up for Worldcoin as of Tuesday, in exchange for free cryptocurrency tokens worth around 7,000 Kenyan shillings .
However the Kenyan government on Wednesday suspended all the world coins activities in the country for what it termed as putting the safety of the citizens first.
“Relevant security, financial services and data protection agencies have commenced inquiries and investigations to establish the authenticity and legality of the aforesaid activities,” interior Cabinet secretary Kithure Kindiki said in a statement.
Since the launch of the Worldcoin project, people around the world including in Kenya, Germany, Spain and France have been flocking to registration sites to get their eyes scanned.
