Thailand Orders Deletion of 1.2M Iris Scans in Worldcoin Privacy Crackdown

Thailand's Personal Data Protection Committee has mandated the immediate deletion of over 1.2 million iris scans collected by Worldcoin, the controversial digital identity project co-founded by Sam Altman. The regulatory action follows an expert panel's determination that Worldcoin's data-for-crypto model violates local privacy laws.

Authorities have suspended all Worldcoin operations in Thailand pending further investigation. While Tools for Humanity, the project's development team, claims compliance with local regulations, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has yet to provide detailed commentary on the enforcement action.

The decision marks a significant setback for biometric data collection initiatives in Southeast Asia, with potential implications for cryptocurrency projects leveraging similar verification models. Market observers note increased regulatory scrutiny on projects combining digital identity with token incentives.