Worldcoin deletes data collected from Kenyans

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), mandated to oversee the processing of personal data in Kenya, confirmed that the data controller scrapped all data collected from Kenyan netizens using its platform in September 2023.

The move came following High Court orders issued in May 2025, that the data was unlawfully collected and should be permanently erased from its database.

A communiqué from ODPC, seen by Citizen Digital, confirmed the deletion, affirming that the office will remain committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that all data controllers and processors are held accountable for any non-compliance.

Worldcoin operations were banned in Kenya after the crypto firm had collected biometric data of thousands, who were given 50 USD in return. 

The Worldcoin project rolled out globally on June 24, 2023.

But despite its ambitions of a decentralised global currency, the project was met with privacy concerns and questions about the security of the biodata the company was collecting from Kenyans.

The verification process involved scanning eyeballs through an Orb in exchange for a digital identity called World ID.

The concerns were heightened by the fact that new members were getting 25 free cryptocurrency tokens (Ksh.8,256 at the time) known as WLD after verification.

The government stopped all activities associated with the crypto project until relevant agencies certify the absence of any security risks.