The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has ordered Tools for Humanity, the developer of World App, to stop processing personal information in the Philippines following alleged violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
Why it Matters: The order comes after reports that the company’s World App project collected sensitive biometric data such as retinal scans and fingerprints from Filipinos during a local digital literacy event. The NPC said the data collection posed potential privacy risks and lacked proper consent mechanisms required under Philippine law.
The NPC’s Complaints and Investigation Division (CID) received complaints from participants in a “Libreng Cybersecurity and Digital Financial Literacy” event in Plaridel, Bulacan, where the app reportedly gathered biometric and personal data in exchange for a digital ID and cryptocurrency. The agency found that the app operated without registration or coordination with the NPC or the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
World App is linked to the global project Worldcoin, which has also faced scrutiny in other countries for collecting biometric data to verify identity.
In its defense, Tools for Humanity said that it does not store retinal or iris scans and that the data captured using its Orb device is encrypted and deleted after verification. The company also claimed that biometric data is needed to ensure proof of personhood and is not used for artificial intelligence training.
However, the NPC found that the app’s consent process did not meet the legal standards of being specific, informed, and freely given. The privacy notice was also deemed insufficient for failing to clearly explain how and why data is processed. The commission added that the company’s submissions had procedural deficiencies.
The NPC’s cease and desist order directs World App to stop all data processing operations in the Philippines. The commission warned that entities collecting sensitive information, especially biometric data, must follow privacy rules to protect the public from potential harm.
Do you think other similar apps collecting biometric data should also face stricter oversight in the country?
