Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Marketing has suspended the operating license of identity-verification crypto project Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, over suspicions that it violated the country’s electronic systems regulations. Indonesia Suspends Sam Altman's Worldcoin Project for Regulatory Violations The ministry said in a statement that the suspension decision was taken following public complaints and reports of suspicious activity regarding Worldcoin and its identity platform World ID. The project, formerly known as Worldcoin (WLD), is currently under scrutiny for operating without a valid license in the country. Authorities explained that one of the local entities running the project in Indonesia, PT. Terang Bulan Abadi, was not registered as a licensed electronic systems operator and that the services were being operated with the permission of another legal entity, a practice that violates national regulations. “This suspension is a preventive measure taken to reduce potential risks to the public,” said Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Supervision at the ministry. Sabar stressed that using another entity’s legal credentials to operate a digital service is a serious violation of regulations. The government has summoned PT. Terang Bulan Abadi and his partner PT. Sandina Abadi Nusantara for further investigation and explanation. The controversy in Indonesia is the latest in a series of regulatory challenges for World, whose iris-scan ID platform has raised concerns around the world over user privacy and data protection. The company claims its World ID system allows individuals to prove their identity online while protecting their privacy, but critics have raised concerns about the collection and storage of biometric data. This development comes just days after the company announced plans to expand to the US, where users in six cities — Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco — will be able to receive WLD tokens in exchange for verifying their identity. The launch of World in many countries has attracted the attention of regulators, especially regarding the processing of biometric information. In 2023, Kenya also shut down the project due to similar concerns. As World continues its global expansion, the suspension in Indonesia is a reminder that compliance with local digital and data laws remains a critical challenge for the project’s expansion. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: Worldcoin Founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Has Its Operating License Suspended in This Country! Here Are the Details
