A viral video has captured a troubling incident involving a man on a motorcycle expressing distress over seeing people naked and experiencing eye pain. The video, shared by blogger Edgar Obare, has raised concerns about the potential effects of World Coin, a cryptocurrency project, on people’s vision and well-being.
In the video, a worried bystander questions the man about his experiences, to which the man attributes his symptoms to World Coin, saying, “Brother, my eyes are itching, and I’m seeing people naked. I don’t know if it’s the World Coin effect.” The bystander attempts to reassure him that there are no people around, hinting that the man’s vision might be impaired.
This incident follows the Kenyan government’s recent order to halt the registration of new users for World Coin, a cryptocurrency project founded by US tech entrepreneur Sam Altman, citing concerns about data privacy. The company had been offering free crypto tokens to individuals who underwent eyeball scanning during registration, leading thousands of Kenyans to flock to registration centers for the opportunity to receive tokens worth approximately Sh 7,000.
However, the Communications Authority of Kenya raised concerns about the storage of biometric data, the exchange of money for data, and the potential risks associated with too much data being held by a private company. Consequently, World Coin temporarily suspended its operations and pledged to collaborate with authorities to address concerns and comply with regulations.
In a statement released on Thursday, the company emphasized its commitment to implementing crowd-control measures and ensuring compliance with Kenyan regulations. World Coin’s vision is to create the world’s largest identity and financial network, offering ownership to everyone and enabling universal access to the global economy, regardless of nationality or background. Its founder, Sam Altman, also known for establishing Open AI, envisions this initiative as a way to verify human identity and potentially pave the way for universal basic income, though specific details on how this would be achieved remain unclear.
As a response to these developments, the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior has initiated an investigation into World Coin to determine its authenticity and legality.
