As World Network (originally Worldcoin) expands its deployment of mobile iris-scanning devices across the United States, the project’s promise of “proof of personhood” is drawing as much skepticism as support.
At the intersection of emerging technologies and human rights sits a fundamental question: who gets to define what it means to be human in the digital age?
To better understand the implications of biometric identity systems, CCN interviewed Shady El Damaty, co-founder of Holonym and a researcher focused on decentralized identity and privacy.
El Damaty discussed concerns over World Network’s architecture, the concentration of control in its biometric framework and the broader questions such systems raise about consent, access, and digital personhood.
“It’s Not Decentralization, It’s Biometric Gatekeeping”
At first glance, World Network appears to embrace decentralization, it’s blockchain-based, partially open-source, and designed to function globally. But El Damaty sees its structure differently.
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“World has undeniably pushed the boundaries of decentralized identity by leaning hard into biometric tech, and that’s impressive,” he told CCN. “But the debate around its decentralization claims is critical.”
He points to World Network’s vertically integrated model, hardware, software, data storage, and credential issuance all managed by a single organization. “World’s model is more akin to a monolithic biometric monopoly, not a decentralized public good.”
Despite its open-source codebase, El Damaty notes the lack of meaningful external participation or governance by token holders. “Real decentralization requires open participation, distributed control, and transparent governance,” he said.
World Network’s Origins Stir Concerns Over Data Ethics and Digital Trust
World Network’s origins raise deeper questions about data ethics. The project shares leadership ties with OpenAI, a company that trained its large language models on vast amounts of public data, much of it without explicit consent.
“It’s a striking contradiction. The leader of a company that built its empire on questionable data practices now claims to also lead the guardianship of our digital identities.” said El Damaty.
He suggests that World Network’s promise of safety and decentralization echoes the same logic that allowed large tech platforms to normalize surveillance as innovation.
Incentives or Exploitation?
One of El Damaty’s most pressing concerns is World Network’s enrollment strategy. In several economically vulnerable regions, people are offered small payments to submit biometric data via the company’s Orb scanners.
“If the choice is between poverty and scanning your iris, it’s not a choice, it’s coercion,” he said. “That’s not ethical consent, it’s economic pressure masquerading as participation.”
He describes the model as “a new form of data colonialism,” extracting sensitive personal data from communities with limited financial options in exchange for short-term incentives.
“This model exploits the same extractive logic of colonialism — take from the many, profit for the few, except now the resource is biometric data instead of gold or labor.”
Who Gets Left Out?
As more systems integrate biometric ID as a gateway to financial services, social platforms, or even citizenship, the risk of exclusion grows.
“Millions, possibly billions of people,” El Damaty warned, “especially those without access to physical collection points, or who refuse to trade their privacy for access.”
He adds that people in politically sensitive regions could be coerced or exploited by local actors, who might force biometric scans to generate identities under external control. “That’s not inclusion,” he said, “it’s biometric gatekeeping.”
Stakes Are Higher Than Ever
Passwords can be changed. Irises and fingerprints cannot. As biometric data becomes a cornerstone of digital access, El Damaty argues for internationally enforceable standards—ones that prioritize user control, cryptographic security, and the right to opt out.
“Being human should never be something you have to prove to a corporation,” he said. “Proof of personhood should be public infrastructure, not a private gate.”
Looking Ahead
While biometric identity is already being mandated in some national systems, especially for travel and government services, El Damaty believes there’s still time to change course.
“Just because it’s likely doesn’t mean it’s right,” he emphasizes. “We must build alternatives to safeguard against the risks of these systems.”
As the line between real and artificial continues to blur, and as biometric credentials become the norm, one thing remains clear: identity is no longer just a privacy issue. It’s a question of power.
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