The rise of new technologies and cryptocurrencies has brought with it practices that raise questions about privacy and the protection of personal data. The case of Worldcoin, which offered cryptocurrencies in exchange for scan the irisplaced the risks and possible consequences of sharing biometric information at the center of the debate.
Despite the arguments of anonymity and control expressed by the company, specialists such as Patricia Peña and Danielle Zaror, from the University of Chile, emphasize the need for stricter regulations to protect individual rights in a context where the boundaries between technology and privacy are increasingly blurred.
Iris scanning is a practice that carries risks for users, especially in terms of long-term protection of identity and personal information. Patricia Peña, an expert in digital communication cited by the University of Chile, warns that “the collection of biometric data, such as the iris, must be handled with extreme care, especially without an adequate legal framework, it is worrying.”
This data can reveal highly sensitive aspects, from genetic information to clues about an individual’s health status or socioeconomic level.
He iris It is particularly valuable because each person has a unique and immutable pattern that, unlike other biometric characteristics, remains constant throughout life and even differs between identical twins. This attribute makes the iris a powerful tool for identification systems, but also an attractive target for those seeking to exploit or commercialize the personal information.
Danielle Zaror, lawyer and researcher at the Center for Studies in Law, Technology and Society at the University of Chile, emphasizes that “by delivering biometric data to an entity with opaque operations, users expose themselves to long-term risks such as identity theft or misuse of your personal information”.
In this sense, transparency and informed consent are essential to avoid scenarios in which users lose control of the use made of their most unrepeatable data.
The use of devices such as the ‘Orb’ by Worldcoin, designed to scan the iris and integrate it into an identification system tied to its own cryptocurrency, multiplies concerns about the privacyas it involves high-definition cameras and infrared technology to precisely capture these unique patterns.
As Zaror warns, “Losing control of this data means not knowing what will be done with that information.” and it is perfectly plausible to imagine that people who have given their consent for this company to treat their irises are exposed to being victims of crimes such as identity theft, for training surveillance software that later narrows people’s space of freedom, among other risks.”
The conclusions of the specialists from the University of Chile reinforce the urgency of greater legal and social surveillance in the face of the expansion of recognition technologies and storage of biometric information.
The biometric information refers to personal data that identifies a person through unique physical or behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, iris, voice or movement patterns. These features are difficult to duplicate and are therefore used to authenticate identity in security systems.
The use of biometric information has expanded in areas such as access to electronic devices, building access control, payment systems and government applications. Biometrics allow for more accurate and convenient authentication than traditional password or card-based methods, but also pose challenges in terms of the protection and privacy of this sensitive data.
