Germany: Issued Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision corrective measures regarding Worldcoin's biometric data processing practices

On 19 December 2024, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision concluded its investigation into the processing of biometric data by Worldcoin, a provider of digital verification services and cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology. The investigation, which began in April 2023, focused on the company's compliance with data protection regulations concerning the processing of iris data for creating a unique "World ID". The State Office for Data Protection Supervision issued an order for corrective measures, mandating Worldcoin to provide a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant deletion procedure within one month and to obtain explicit consent for certain processing steps. Worldcoin has indicated plans to appeal the decision, which was coordinated with European data protection supervisory authorities within the GDPR framework.