Interesting update to the WorldCoin ban last year, as Kenya calls out the U.S. government for signs of corruption by billionaires of Silicon Valley.
Kenya has rejected a push by the United States government to revoke the suspension of activities of the cryptocurrency project WorldCoin, legislators heard on Thursday.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki told Parliament that the government will not lift the suspension it imposed in August 2023 on the activities of WorldCoin.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s committee on Public Petitions, Prof Kindiki said Kenya has been under pressure from the US government to lift the suspension.
“The United States has been pushing the government on the issues of WorldCoin, but we have remained adamant and firm,” Prof Kindiki said.
“They (US) think that they (WorldCoin) still have a case to set up their activities here. We have remained adamant and the decision we took will remain. We are not going to review the suspension.”
Notably, WorldCoin was caught violating rights of people with some clearly criminal behavior. I’d even say it was a case of being very openly and obnoxiously illegal, basically intoxication with science fiction that led to public digital defecation.
It was like some young clueless tech-bros from America thought parachuting into Africa wearing big “white savior” pants would magically mean no Black person there would enforce laws, let alone stand up for human rights.
Prof Kindiki on August 2, 2023, issued a directive suspending the activities of WorldCoin pending the conclusion of inquiries that were aimed at establishing the safety of the data being harvested.
At the time, Prof Kindiki said the suspension would remain in effect until assurances of the safety and integrity of financial deals are provided.
“The government has suspended forthwith activities of WorldCoin and any other entity that may be similarly engaging the people of Kenya until relevant public agencies certify the absence of any risks to the general public whatsoever,” the statement issued by Prof Kindiki said.
Absence of any risks to the general public? That’s a basic requirement of engineering, and a code of ethics concept common across industries. If American tech companies aren’t removing risks to the public in product design and development, they aren’t really engineering and deserve a ban.
WorldCoin infamously and criminally rolled out the worst possible security in Nairobi, Kenya. Like, I mean, the actual worst. It is hard to imagine a less safe roll-out plan for a product.
The ministry of the interior has launched an investigation into Worldcoin and called on security services and data protection agencies to establish its authenticity and legality. In a statement released on Thursday, Worldcoin says it is planning to implement crowd-control measures and collaborate with the government before resuming work. It added that Kenyan regulations are adhered to. In one of the pop-up registration centres in the capital, Nairobi, where hundreds had been lining up for the registration, many had been locked out of the process on Wednesday after the large crowd was termed a “security risk”. “I’ve been coming here almost three days to line up and register. I want to register because I’m jobless and I’m broke, that’s why I’m here,” Webster Musa told the BBC. “I came here yesterday. I waited until my phone died. So I came again today but I’ve missed the registration again. I really like Worldcoin because of the money. I’m not worried about the data being taken. As long as the money comes,” added Dickson Muli. Worldcoin says it cannot say how many people have had their eyeballs scanned in Kenya.
Because of the money… as long as the money comes?
That does sound like corruption, along the lines of “if they pay it must be ok“.
Boeing, Tesla… WorldCoin.