"I didn't expect to find myself living in the future, but here I fucking am."
Exchanging biometric data to verify if you're a human sounds like a plot from a Black Mirror episode. However, this isn't just a dystopian sci-fi story; it's an actual project in the world of Web3.'
Worldcoin's launch has sparked concerns about whether the project goes against the core principles of decentralization that Web3 aims to achieve. Surprisingly, over 2 million individuals in underserved areas have registered, agreeing to share their biometric data with Worldcoin in return for 25 WLD tokens which are currently valued at under $100.
This situation is incredibly peculiar, raises significant privacy risks, and creates a tempting target for malicious actors preying on poorer people.
The necessity for Worldcoin arises from its primary purpose: to address the anticipated externalities caused by its sister company, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and various other well-known AI products. While one hand is responsible for developing these AI solutions, the other aims to tackle the challenges and unintended consequences that
Worldcoin has set ambitious goals with the aim of protecting privacy. However, the issue with Worldcoin stems from the fact that they are harvesting biometric data for unknown reasons. Of course, they can claim what this data will be used for. But as we know, bad guys do bad things when they grow too powerful.
The irony is not lost on ChatGPT. When asked about the potential risks of a single company possessing biometric data for individuals in underdeveloped countries, some of the highlighted concerns include:
"Verified Human" - Achievement unlocked:
During the iris scanning process at Worldcoin's Orbs, registrants are given a promotional sticker stating "Verified Human." This label raises discomfort by reducing individuals to mere "humans" rather than recognizing their full personhood. Selling one's identity for a nominal sum to a cryptocurrency project connected to AI development may seem like a Freudian slip, implying that humanity is slowly being forgotten, in exchange individuals are becoming data points in a vast biometric database.
Sometimes, reality proves to be stranger than fiction.
The future is now. Soon, everything we do will be recorded, analyzed, and available for public consumption.
We can no longer hide, no matter how hard we try.
