Go to Wolters Kluwer VitalLaw.comGo to Wolters Kluwer VitalLaw.com
VitalLaw®
  • Find answers to your questions
  • Log in to access your subscriptions
In depth. On point.
In depth. On point.
  • Home
  • Legal Directory
  • Home
  • Legal Directory
In depth. On point.
  • Articles
    • Articles
  • Law Firms
    • Law Firms
  • Organizations
    • Organizations
    • Senate Adopts Defense Bill That Seeks Progress Toward Deterring Cyber Adversaries
    • N.D. Ill.: Patient portal log-in click formed plausible basis for ECPA claim tied to HIPAA violation
    • Bill Targeting Foreign-Made Routers Clears Senate as Defense Bill Amendment
    • D. Mass.: Suit alleging medical center used tracking technology with patient information dismissed
    • FCC Chair Celebrates ‘Initial Success’ of ‘Operation Clean Carts’
    • Medical Lab Provider Fined Over Violations Leading to Australian Data Breach
    • Microsoft’s Edtech Products Violate EU Privacy Law, Austrian DPA Finds
    • Supreme Court Review Sought of Fifth Circuit Data Breach Ruling
    • TechFreedom Urges En Banc Review in Data Breach Case
    • Telemarketer Fees in Colorado Won’t Change in 2026
    • Worldcoin Project Ordered to End Biometric Data Collection in Philippines
  • Articles
    • Articles
  • Law Firms
    • Law Firms
  • Organizations
    • Organizations

    Cybersecurity Policy Report, Worldcoin Project Ordered to End Biometric Data Collection in Philippines, (Oct 10, 2025)

    By Tony Foley

    The Filipino National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued a cease-and-desist order against Tools for Humanity (TFH), the entity behind the WorldID app and Orb verification system, finding that the use of the app violated the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

    The action is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on TFH around the world in connection with its Worldcoin project, including in Brazil, South Korea, Spain, and Kenya, among other countries.

    The NPC’s Complaints and Investigation Division (CID) filed an application for the cease-and-desist order, after which the NPC concluded that TFH’s data processing practices did not comply with the Data Privacy Act, according to a news release.

    Specifically, NPC concluded that offering monetary incentives (in the form of small distributions of Worldcoin cryptocurrency) in exchange for consenting to iris scans constituted undue influence, rendering any consent invalid as not freely given. The NPC also found that TFH violated transparency requirements by failing to adequately inform data subjects of the purpose, scope, extent, and duration of data processing.

    In addition, the NPC deemed TFH’s collection of immutable biometric identifiers like iris patterns excessive for the company’s stated purpose of verifying the humanness of the data subject and concluded that continued processing of such data would expose Filipinos to serious and lifelong risks, including identity theft, fraud, and reputational harm.

    “The integrity of a Filipino citizen’s biometric data is non-negotiable, as it is a unique and permanent identifier,” said Deputy Privacy Commissioner Jose Amelito Belarmino II. “When consent is compromised by the lure of compensation, it ceases to be a genuine expression of choice. This Cease and Desist Order sends a clear message that the NPC will not tolerate practices that exploit socioeconomic vulnerabilities or compromise fundamental data privacy rights in pursuit of business objectives,” he added.

    The NPC order directs TFH to immediately stop all personal information processing activities related to the WorldID app, Orb verification, and all associated systems and platforms in the Philippines, including the collection and processing of iris scans or other biometric data.

    News: InternationalLegislation LitigationEnforcement DataPrivacy

    © 2026 CCH Incorporated and its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.

    • Manage Cookie Preferences
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Use