The Thai Personal Data Protection Committee has suspended operations of TIDC Worldverse over its use of iris scans to collect biometric data.

Regulatory decision

Regulators cited concerns about the collection and potential cross-border transfer of biometric information linked to the project known as World, formerly Worldcoin.

Data removal demand

Authorities ordered deletion of data relating to 1.2 million people to prevent potential transfer of personal identifiers outside Thailand.

Corporate links and naming

The suspended entity, TIDC Worldverse, is associated with the World project that was rebranded from Worldcoin and involves Sam Altman as a public figure.

International reaction

So far, 11 countries have expressed concerns and have either introduced or are considering restrictions on Worldcoin-style initiatives.

Compliance and oversight

The committee emphasized the need for stronger safeguards when collecting sensitive biometric identifiers to ensure adherence to domestic data protection rules.

The suspension halts the local operation of the provider while regulators assess whether existing practices complied with legal requirements governing personal data and transfers.