TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) has suspended the digital services of Worldcoin and World ID following allegations of suspicious activities involving both platforms.
The suspension aims to safeguard the personal data security of users in Indonesia.
"This freeze is a preventive step to prevent potential risks to the public," said Director General of Digital Space Supervision at Komdigi, Alexander Sabar, on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
The police are also investigating potential legal violations regarding Worldcoin's services. The investigation focuses on the method of collecting personal data by the platform, particularly regarding the users' obligation to scan their faces as a condition for accessing the service.
"To access Worldcoin's services, users are required to scan their faces. This activity should be watched closely as it has already collected personal data of the public. This is certainly a concern," said Head of the Public Information Bureau, Public Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, on Monday, May 5, 2025.
About Worldcoin
Worldcoin is a global technology project that combines digital identity systems with crypto currency. The project was initiated by Sam Altman, who is also known as the Chief Executive Officer of the artificial intelligence company OpenAI.
A key component of the project is World ID, a biometric-based identification system that primarily relies on facial scans.
The goal of this project is to build a universal digital identity system while creating a global financial network that is claimed to be able to maintain privacy.
However, the method of collecting biometric data used by Worldcoin has raised questions and concerns from various parties, including regulators in several countries.
Before drawing attention in Indonesia, the service had already encountered legal issues in Spain, where the government banned Worldcoin’s operations for allegedly violating the European Union's personal data protection regulations.
Responding to the controversy surrounding the World App, University of Indonesia cyber law expert Edmon Makarim expressed concern over the platform.
The app offers Worldcoin, or digital tokens, which users can convert into cash after undergoing a retina scan.
Edmon warned of the potential misuse of the collected retina data.
"It would be better to ban it like other countries did, it is relatively safer," he said to Tempo through a messaging application on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
Hammam Izzuddin, M. Faiz Zaki, Annisa Febiola also contributed to the writing of this article.
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