Worldcoin has permanently deleted all iris scan data collected from Kenyans in 2023, following a High Court order from last year. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) confirmed the erasure on January 20, 2026, after supervising the process. This brings an end to a long-running legal fight over how the company handled sensitive biometric information.
The story goes back to mid-2023 when Worldcoin arrived in Kenya. The project, run by Tools for Humanity and co-founded by OpenAI boss Sam Altman, set up silver “Orb” devices in shopping centres, universities and busy streets across Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns. People queued for hours to have their irises scanned. In exchange, each person received 25 Worldcoin (WLD) tokens, worth roughly KSh 8,000 at the time. For many, it felt like easy money.
The idea behind the scans was to create a “World ID” – a digital proof that the holder is a real human being. Worldcoin argued this would help distribute future universal basic income fairly in an age of advanced AI and also serve as a secure identity for online services. Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans signed up before authorities stepped in.
Concerns surfaced almost immediately. Privacy advocates asked whether people truly understood what they were giving away. Iris scans are unique biometric data – more permanent than fingerprints or facial photos. Once collected, they cannot be changed like a password. Questions arose about where the data would be stored, who could access it, and whether proper safety checks had been done.
In August 2023, the government suspended Worldcoin operations following investigations and court cases. The ODPC and the Interior Ministry both raised red flags over the data usage and future problems. Civil society groups, including the Katiba Institute, went to court arguing that the data collection lacked proper impact assessments and that consent had been induced by the cash incentive which lured masses.
In May 2025, the High Court ruled in their favour. Justice John Chigiti declared the 2023 collection unlawful. The judge found that the required data protection impact assessment had not been carried out fully and that offering tokens in exchange for scans amounted to inducement and became a red flag. The court directed a permanent deletion of all Kenyan iris data under ODPC supervision.
Worldcoin initially pushed back but later agreed to comply with the court order. On January 20, 2026, the ODPC issued a statement saying it had verified the complete and irreversible deletion of the data. Commissioner Immaculate Kassait described the outcome as an important protection of Kenyans’ privacy rights.
Katiba Institute welcomed the news. In a short statement, they called it a milestone that shows “no technology company, no matter how well-funded or connected, is above Kenyan law.” They said the case sets a useful precedent for future biometric projects.
Not everyone is fully convinced. Some online commentators and privacy watchers wonder whether copies of the data could still exist in backups or overseas servers. Worldcoin has insisted the deletion was thorough and irreversible. The ODPC says its verification process was rigorous.
For ordinary Kenyans who took part, the episode leaves mixed feelings. Many kept the tokens they received (some later sold them when the price rose). Others now worry about identity theft or simply regret handing over such personal information. A few who queued in 2023 told local reporters they did it because friends were doing it and the money seemed quick.
The case highlights broader questions about foreign tech companies operating in Kenya. Biometric registration has grown fast – from Huduma Namba to mobile money verification – but strong enforcement of data rules has sometimes lagged behind. This ruling shows courts and the ODPC are willing to act when lines are crossed.
Worldcoin continues its work in other countries, though it faces similar scrutiny in parts of Europe and Asia. In Kenya, the Orbs are long gone. The data they collected in 2023 no longer exists, at least according to official confirmation. For privacy advocates, that counts as a clear win.