World Network Lands in the Philippines to Tame the Wild West of Crime Ahead of Crucial Midterm Elections

World Network, formerly known as Worldcoin, has officially landed in the Philippines, aiming to bring its approach to digital identity and financial inclusion to a nation grappling with the rise of bot-driven misinformation and deepfake-related fraud.

World Network, formerly known as Worldcoin, has officially set foot in the Philippines, aiming to integrate its approach to digital identity and financial inclusion within a nation grappling with the rise of bot-driven misinformation and deepfake-related fraud.

The Philippines, boasting the highest social media penetration globally, has also seen a darker side to AI adoption. Deepfake-related identity fraud cases soared by an astonishing 4,500% from 2022 to 2023.

To combat these challenges, World Network is introducing its World ID system.

A Key Element: World ID

A crucial component of the World Network, World ID is a decentralized, privacy-focused identity protocol that empowers users to verify their identity online without disclosing sensitive details. Once verified by the Orb, users receive a World ID.

With this launch, World Network aims to tap into the Philippines' young, digitally connected population and their growing need for robust online security measures.

The service will initially launch in select cities within Bulacan, and the team will proceed to set up Orb verification spots across the Philippines, ultimately aiming to make the technology accessible nationwide.

According to World Network, Filipinos can now join World Network at no cost through World ID, ensuring their data and identity are kept private and secure.

By joining the network, Filipinos become part of a vast community that spans over 23 million participants, including more than 11 million verified humans, the platform states.

Emphasizing user privacy, World Network adds that individuals maintain control over their biometric data through its Personal Custody system, where the data is securely stored on their devices and never shared with Worldcoin or any third parties, the team states.

To complement existing data privacy efforts in the Philippines, the network also utilizes advanced privacy-enhancing technologies such as Anonymized Multi-Party Computation and zero-knowledge proofs.

This launch coincides with the Philippines preparing for crucial midterm elections in May, a critical time as concerns over bot-driven misinformation and deepfakes reach new heights. Worldcoin believes its technology can contribute to a more transparent and secure online environment.

Minimal Impact on WLD Price

The project's cryptocurrency, WLD, showed a muted response to the news. According to CoinGecko, it is currently trading at around $1.225, down slightly in the last 24 hours.

Regulatory Challenges Persist

World Network's expansion has sparked controversies over privacy concerns and the collection of biometric data.

In 2023, the Kenyan government halted Worldcoin's operations for violating the Data Protection Act. Following an investigation, the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) issued a cessation notice to Worldcoin in May 2023 and later canceled the certificate issued to the entity in the same year.

The ODPC also issued an Enforcement Notice, instructing Worldcoin to simplify consent procedures, ensure orb operators do not access users’ mobile phones, obtain informed consent before data custody, and obtain explicit consent for transferring sensitive personal data out of Kenya.

Various legal challenges have also been filed against World Network in several jurisdictions, including France, Portugal, Spain, Hong Kong, Brazil, South Korea, and Chile, primarily over the potential misuse, data breaches, and surveillance related to biometric data collection.

Late last month, Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) ordered Tools for Humanity, the entity behind the World Network project, to停止 offering crypto incentives in exchange for collecting biometric data in Brazil.

The order was issued as the ANPD investigated the World ID project, which aimed to create a universal digital identity and financial network by collecting iris biometrics. The ANPD specifically highlighted its concerns regarding the influence of financial incentives on the validity of consent and the irreversible nature of biometric data collection.

Earlier this month, Chile's Supreme Court ruled against Worldcoin for collecting biometric information about a minor without consent.