Brazil Halts Tools for Humanity's Iris Scan Compensation

Brazil's data protection authority has banned Tools for Humanity from offering compensation for iris scans. The firm, linked to OpenAI's Sam Altman, must comply with the ruling starting Saturday, which includes cryptocurrency payments. The ban aims to protect individual consent regarding biometric data sharing.

Brazil's data protection authority, ANPD, has announced a prohibition on Tools for Humanity (TFH), co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, from continuing its practice of compensating individuals for iris scans in the country. This decision was communicated in a statement released on Friday.

The authority described the ban as a preventative measure aimed at ensuring the free expression of individual will, by preventing financial incentives from swaying decisions about sharing biometric data. This restriction encompasses cryptocurrency-based compensation linked to Tools for Humanity's World project, which seeks to establish a global identity framework via iris scans and digital IDs.

In response, TFH's World press office in Brazil asserted its adherence to all applicable national laws and regulations. Meanwhile, ANPD has requested the identification of responsible data processors on TFH's website. The company has declared ongoing communication with ANPD to facilitate Brazilian participation in the World network, while addressing misinformation circulating in reports and social media.

(With inputs from agencies.)