A parliamentary committee in Kenya’s government tasked with investigating Worldcoin has recommended that regulators shut down the project’s operations in the country.
According to a report released on Sept. 30 by Kenya’s parliament, Worldcoin has continued to collect personal data of Kenya’s residents “in total disregard” of an order to stop issued in May — potentially including information from minors. The committee recommended that Kenyan authorities “disable the virtual platforms” of Worldcoin as well as investigate its companies for potential criminal charges.
“The registration of Kenyans by Worldcoin online App is still going on despite the pendency of a court order and other administrative directions halting the same in entirety,” the report say.
Sept. 27 parliamentary report on Worldcoin’s activities in Kenya. Source: Parliament of Kenya
The report cited privacy concerns for Kenya’s residents, but added that it was difficult or impossible to determine the number of “orbs” in the country — the devices Worldcoin uses to allow users to submit scans of their irises for verification. The committee’s recommendations include having the government consider implementing a comprehensive framework for digital assets and virtual asset service providers in Kenya alongside amending existing regulations to consider cybercrimes and tax reporting requirements.
Lawmakers added:
“The unregulated adoption and use of cryptocurrency as an attempt to fully decentralize the global monetary systems, poses threat to statehood.”
Worldcoin, launched with the stated intention of distinguishing real people from bots online by providing retinal scans for identity verification, had millions of sign-ups by July. However, the project has drawn the scrutiny of regulators globally, who claim it is circumventing regulations and guidelines on data protection and user privacy.
Authorities in Germany, Argentina, France and the United Kingdom have either raised concerns about Worldcoin or launched inquiries into its activities. Cointelegraph reached out to Worldcoin but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
A Reform UK canvasser who used a racial slur against Rishi Sunak has called himself a “total fool” and said he has learned his lesson.
Footage from an undercover Channel 4 reporter showed Reform campaigner Andrew Parker using a discriminatory term about the prime minister, as well as saying the army should “just shoot” migrants crossing the Channel.
Mr Parker, who was canvassing in Clacton, where Reform leader Nigel Farage is standing, told Sky News the sting operation had “proper taught me a lesson”.
He said: “There’s lots of old people like me who are sick to death of this woke agenda… but on that particular day, I was set up and set up good and proper.
“It’s proper taught me a lesson – I was a total fool.”
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Pressed on his use of the racial slur, he said he was an “old man” and “I still use old words”.
“There’s no racism at all in it. I am a decent guy to be honest”, he added.
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In the Channel 4 report, Mr Parker can be heard using offensive language about the prime minister and also discussing migrants arriving in small boats in Deal, Kent
He said: “Army recruitment – get the young recruits there, with guns, on the f****** beach, target practice. F****** just shoot them.”
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Sunak ‘hurt’ over Reform race row
He also described Islam as a “disgusting cult”.
Mr Farage said he was “dismayed” by the “appalling” comments and has sought to distance himself from the campaigner, saying he was simply “someone who turned up to help” and “has nothing to do with the party”.
He has also used reports Mr Parker was a part-time actor to suggest the incriminating film was a “total set-up” – something Channel 4 has strongly denied.
Mr Parker himself says his volunteering for Reform was separate from his acting job – and claims he was “goaded” into making the comments.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: “We strongly stand by our rigorous and duly impartial journalism which speaks for itself.
Image: Farage has tried to distance himself from the comments
“We met Mr Parker for the first time at Reform UK party headquarters, where he was a Reform party canvasser.
“We did not pay the Reform UK canvasser or anyone else in this report. Mr Parker was not known to Channel 4 News and was filmed covertly via the undercover operation.”
The broadcaster’s investigation also caught another canvasser describing the Pride flag as “degenerate” and suggesting members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.
A spokesman for Essex Police said the force is “urgently assessing” the comments “to establish if there are any criminal offences”.
PM ‘hurt and angry’ over racial slur
Mr Sunak reacted furiously to the comments and said Mr Farage had “some questions to answer”.
He said: “My two daughters have to see and hear Reform people who campaign for Nigel Farage calling me an effing P***. It hurts and it makes me angry and I think he has some questions to answer.
“And I don’t repeat those words lightly. I do so deliberately because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is.
“As prime minister, but more importantly as a father of two young girls, it’s my duty to call out this corrosive and divisive behaviour.”
Unrepentant Farage doubles down
However, Mr Farage was unrepentant when grilled on the row during a BBC Question Time leaders’ special, saying he was “not going to apologise” for the actions of people associated with his party.
Reform UK has faced a series of controversies relating to election candidates saying offensive or racist things.
Asked why his party “attracts racists and extremists”, the former UKIP leader claimed he had “done more to drive the far right out of British politics than anybody else alive” – claiming he took on the British Nationalist Party (BNP) a decade ago.
He also appeared to throw his predecessor Richard Tice under the bus when read racist and xenophobic comments made by Reform candidates, saying he “inherited a start up party” and has “no idea” why the people who said those things had been selected.
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