Worldcoin (WLD) Advances Privacy with Personal Custody for Iris-Scanned IDs

Worldcoin (WLD), a blockchain-based identity platform known for its novel approach to user verification through iris scanning, has taken a significant step towards enhancing user privacy with the implementation of Personal Custody. This development comes as part of the project’s ongoing efforts to provide a user-centric and secure identification system.

Personal Custody is a feature that allows individuals to retain all personal data, including images, metadata, and derived data generated at the orb during World ID verification, directly on their devices. By doing so, users gain unprecedented control over their information, with the ability to manage its flow and usage before opting for deletion. This shift from the prior default deletion of data to personal custody is a response to privacy concerns and recommendations from experts in the field.

The implementation of Personal Custody requires a sophisticated multi-step process. It begins with the user's device generating a public-private key pair to encrypt the data, followed by the backend creating additional keys for double encryption. The orb captures the necessary images for verification, creates individual data packages, and encrypts them before transmitting them to the backend. After the encrypted data packages are downloaded to the user's device, they are deleted from the backend to ensure no residual data remains.

This approach not only places users in control but also introduces the possibility of using Face Authentication for high-security applications. Face Authentication allows users to confirm their identity locally on their device without transferring any data externally, thus promising a higher level of security and privacy.

The adoption of Personal Custody is emblematic of the platform's user-centric architecture, a core aspect of the Worldcoin Tech Tree. This architecture is designed to facilitate the separation and replacement of system components like orbs and uniqueness metrics, making it easier to evolve the protocol into an open, permissionless system governed by a broad user base.

While the initiative marks a substantial move towards personal data sovereignty, it also implies that optional Data Custody will no longer be offered during orb visits. This change encourages users to educate themselves about Worldcoin and make informed choices regarding the sharing of their information to support the project's improvement.

For those interested in delving deeper into the technicalities of Worldcoin's privacy measures and system architecture, the Technical Implementation section of the Worldcoin protocol whitepaper provides detailed insights. The Worldcoin community is also actively engaged in discussions across various social platforms, such as Twitter/X, Telegram, Discord, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and interested individuals can stay updated by subscribing to the blog newsletter.

It is important to note that the availability of Worldcoin (WLD) tokens is subject to geographic, age, and other restrictions. While WLD tokens are not accessible in the United States and some other territories, the World ID and TFH’s World App remain available. Prospective users are advised to consult the Terms of Use and the Important User Information found on the Worldcoin website for further details on eligibility and risks.