"Spain Temporarily Bans Worldcoin's Eye-Scanning Technology Over Privacy Concerns"

Spain's data protection authority has ordered Worldcoin to temporarily stop collecting and processing personal data in the country due to privacy concerns, using powers contained in the GDPR. The controversial blockchain crypto project, which scans eyeballs to create a unique identifier, has faced scrutiny from European privacy regulators and has been the subject of complaints related to data processing transparency, collection of data from minors, and withdrawal of consent. Worldcoin's regional rollout in several European markets, including Spain, has attracted attention from data protection authorities, with Spain taking unilateral action to protect local users. The company's DPO has accused the AEPD of spreading inaccurate claims and circumventing EU law, while the AEPD has ordered the immediate cessation of data processing to protect individuals' rights and freedoms.