Worldcoin developer Tools for Humanity has filed a lawsuit to appeal Spain’s recent ban on data collection and use in the country for three months.
Worldcoin said in a March 6 blog post that Spanish regulators bypassed the regular process surrounding the EU’s GDPR rules by issuing their order, leaving them with no choice but to file a lawsuit.
Jannick Preiwisch, data protection officer for the Worldcoin Foundation and Tools for Humanity, said the Spanish regulators’ claims are inaccurate and fully compliant with EU data protection law. He added:
‘It is a pity that [Spanish regulators] spreading inaccurate and misleading claims about our technology worldwide after our efforts to provide them with an accurate picture of Worldcoin and World ID went unanswered for months.”
Worldcoin further said that it operates legally in all available locations and works under the close supervision of local authorities.
Specifically, it said that in recent months it has regularly responded to GDPR requests from the Bavarian Data Protection Authority (BayLDA), which is responsible for GDPR compliance across the EU, and that it continues to cooperate with the regulator.
Spain concerned about ‘irreparable damage’
Spain’s Data Protection Agency (AEPD) issued a three-month ban on Worldcoin’s activities on March 6 after receiving complaints from minors concerned about data privacy and the inability to withdraw consent.
The complaints also alleged that Worldcoin had not provided enough information to assure people that their data would be properly protected. Authorities are concerned that current practices could lead to ‘irreparable damage’.
Additionally, the AEPD said Worldcoin’s handling of sensitive biometric data requires special protection. It called the current action a precautionary measure under exceptional circumstances.
The Spanish order specifically targeted Tools for Humanity, which was co-founded by Sam Altman and is the original developer of the open-source Worldcoin project.
Worldcoin’s main page identifies the Worldcoin Foundation as its steward, but describes Tools for Humanity advisors and operators of the Worldcoin app. As such, both the lawsuit and the appeal relate very directly to Worldcoin.
The post that Worldcoin is filing a lawsuit to appeal the Spanish ban first appeared on CryptoSlate.