Kenyan Parliament Requests Temporary Closure Of Worldcoin Crypto Projects To Strict Regulations Implemented

The Worldcoin project in Kenya has asked to be stopped. (photo: twitter @worldcoin)

JAKARTA - A Kenyan parliamentary panel has urged information technology regulators of the country to temporarily close the operation of the domestic Worldcoin cryptocurrency project. This decision was taken until stricter regulations were implemented in the country.

The Kenyan government suspended the project in early August after objections to privacy regarding scanning user slices as part of a exchange for digital identity to create a new "identity and financial network".

Worldcoin was introduced in various countries around the world by Tools for Humanity, a company also founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The project is also in the spotlight in Great Britain, Germany and France.

Despite being suspended in August, the project still has a virtual presence in Kenya and can be accessed via the internet.

The ad hoc panel consisting of 18 lawmakers in its report asked Kenyan Communications regulators to "shut down virtual Tools for Humanity Corp and Tools for Humanity GmbH Germany (Worldcoin) platforms, including embedding related website IP addresses on blacklists."

They also requested that the company be "determinated its physical presence in Kenya until there is a legal framework for regulation of virtual assets and virtual service providers."

The Worldcoin news agency said it "has not seen an official announcement from the Committee in person."

A panel report will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval on a predetermined date.

During the suspension of data collection in August, authorities said that the project method to gain consumer approval by awarding a slightly more than $50 worth of money at the time was considered a form of temptation.

Registration to use the platform involves long queues where people queue to scan their slices. The parliamentary panel investigation found that Worldcoin may have scanned the eyes of minors because there was no age verification mechanism during the implementation, the panel reports.

Panel juga meminta kementerian pemerintah untuk mengembangkan regulasi bagi aset kripto dan perusahaan yang menyediakan layanan kripto serta meminta kepolisian untuk menyelidiki Tools for Humanity dan mengambil tindakan hukum yang diperlukan.