Kenyan High Court Orders Deletion of Worldcoin Biometric Data, Declares Activities Illegal

Worldcoin ordered to delete iris and facial data collected in Kenya within seven days.

The court ruled that data collection violated privacy rights and lacked a proper impact assessment.

All biometric processing activities by Worldcoin are now prohibited under Kenyan law.

The High Court of Kenya has declared Worldcoin’s operations in the country illegal following a judicial review ruling on Monday, May 5. According to the local reports, the court directed the Worldcoin Foundation to permanently delete all iris and facial data collected from Kenyan citizens. This action must be executed within seven days under the supervision of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

Court Issues Three Binding Orders Against Worldcoin

The court issued three separate orders targeting the biometric data operations carried out by Worldcoin in Kenya. First, a Mandamus order compelled the Worldcoin Foundation and its agents to delete all collected biometric data. The court stated the data was collected without a proper Data Protection Impact Assessment as required under Section 31 of the Data Protection Act, 2019.

Second, a prohibition order was issued preventing Worldcoin and its agents from continuing to process, collect, or use biometric data. This order aims to block any future engagement involving facial or iris scanning within Kenya. Third, the court issued an order to cancel any previous decision by Worldcoin to process or collect such data within the country.

The legal proceedings followed a judicial review application filed by the Katiba Institute

The institute challenged the manner in which biometric data was collected, processed, and transferred through Worldcoin's app and scanning device, Orb. The court found that consent had been obtained through the inducement of cryptocurrency without proper safeguards. Lady Justice Aburili Roselyne ruled in favor of the Katiba Institute, stating that the data handling violated the constitutional right to privacy.

Previous Suspension and Resumption Plans Under Scrutiny

Worldcoin’s operations began in 2023 with mass biometric registrations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Participants were promised payments worth Ksh7,000 in digital assets. The exercise was halted after large crowds gathered in Nairobi’s Central Business District, raising national security concerns.

Although the government suspended the project, Tools for Humanity, the developer behind Worldcoin, announced in June 2024 that operations would resume. This announcement came after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, closed the criminal case previously filed against the project.Following a separate investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Worldcoin was advised to seek formal business registration. The Registrar of Business Registry was identified as the appropriate channel for compliance if the company intends to continue operations in Kenya. The recent court decision now places additional legal requirements on Worldcoin’s next steps within the jurisdiction.