Worldcoin: Introducing Open-Source Orb Software and ‘Personal Custody’

The Worldcoin Foundation has announced that it has made certain components of its iris-scanning Orbs software open-source. This means that the core components of the Orb software can now be accessed on GitHub under a dual license. Along with the release of the open-source software, the foundation has also introduced a new privacy feature called “Personal Custody.” This feature allows individual users to have control over their data by encrypting it with their own public key before it is transferred to their mobile phone. Worldcoin claims that this feature will reduce the number of times users need to verify their World ID using the Orb.

These updates come at a time when Worldcoin is facing regulatory scrutiny. The Kenyan government has denied a request from the United States government to revoke its suspensions on the Worldcoin project. They have stated that they will ban Worldcoin activities until they can ensure the safety of their people and the integrity of financial information. Similarly, the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Data has demanded that Worldcoin stop collecting and processing data locally and has temporarily banned its operations.

Worldcoin has asserted that it operates lawfully and is fully compliant with all laws and regulations regarding data collection and transfer. The foundation has faced pushback from regulators. Worldcoin was co-founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company responsible for AI-based chatbot ChatGPT. OpenAI has also faced scrutiny for its decision not to make their AI code open-source.