An eyeball-scanning “digital ID” developer has secured deals with several major online companies to integrate the controversial technology into their platforms.
Worldcoin is the eye-ball scanning protocol co-founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence (AI) company behind ChatGPT.
The company has developed a tool that can scan a person’s eyeball to identify them using a global digital ID system, as Slay News previously reported.
Worldcoin has quietly secured deals with Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify, and Mercado Libre to integrate its World ID system into their platforms.
The latest partnerships come on the back of the cohesive upgrades to the system and a massive expansion globally.
Worldcoin has already secured partnerships with Discord, Talent Protocol, and Okta’s Auth0.
The system has been prepared to integrate digital cash so members of the public can use global eyeball-scanning technology to prove their identity and pay for things using one single app.
Digital ID systems, like the one used by WorldCoin, raise significant privacy concerns, however.
Experts are warning about the risks due to the sensitive nature of the biometric data they collect and store.
The other issue is that identity becomes immutable.
Consider a scenario where your digital ID becomes inaccessible.
This could be due to technical issues or even regulatory action.
In conventional financial systems, including traditional cash and most cryptocurrencies, you can simply create a new wallet and start over.
However, with systems tied to unique biometric identifiers, such as iris scans, you can’t easily replace your identity.
Unlike a plot from a science fiction movie, obtaining a new iris scan is not a feasible option.
Worldcoin was unleashed on the world approximately four months ago.
The company recently updated its protocol to reach World ID 2.0.
According to Worldcoin, this upgrade simplifies the task of distinguishing between bots and “verified” humans in the digital world.
As explained by Tiago Sada, the head of product for Tools for Humanity and a prime mover in the Worldcoin project, to TechCrunch, Reddit moderators can now employ these fresh integrations to assign unique permissions to users of the World ID.
The article frames a possible benefit of this digital ID system as fighting spam and with it, the dreaded threat of so-called “misinformation.”
Furthermore, Shopify merchants could leverage World ID for anti-fraud measures or fleeting promotions.
Shopify is one of the most widely used online shopping platforms on the Internet.
Highlighting the bespoke potential of Worldcoin’s platform, Sada asserts:
“This is not just about the first wave of applications, but a new developer platform where developers can build.”
Dada argues that World ID will bring innovative solutions to the developer community.
World ID involves creating an ID profile and digital wallet and proving identity through an iris scan.
The company calls its highest level of security “World ID Orb+.”
This involves facial recognition security in addition to the “regular” eyeball scanning.
However, Sada confirms that the system is not infallible.
Users can generate more than one World ID across multiple devices until they opt for an Orb scan, which limits them to a single ID.
Despite the limitations, Sada believes the system can help curb misuse of various platforms, such as manipulative voting or maintaining multiple fraudulent accounts.
Worldcoin is broadening its presence in Mexico and Singapore, with plans to increase its footprint in Asian countries.
However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the project.
The Kenyan government, citing privacy concerns, has banned Worldcoin from scanning the country’s citizens’ eyes.
READ MORE: Canada Signs Deal with EU to Roll Out Global ‘Digital ID’ for Public
