PANews reported on May 22 that the Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner’s Office has completed its investigation into the Worldcoin project and released the findings today (22nd). After considering the facts of the case and the information obtained from the investigation, Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung Lai-ling ruled that Worldcoin's operations in Hong Kong violated the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance regarding the principles of protection for the collection, retention, transparency, access, and correction of personal data. The Worldcoin project has been ordered to cease collecting citizens' iris and facial images using iris scanning devices in Hong Kong.

The Privacy Commissioner’s Office is concerned that Worldcoin's operations in Hong Kong pose serious personal data privacy risks. Therefore, it proactively initiated an investigation into the Worldcoin project in January 2024. Between December 2023 and January 2024, the Privacy Commissioner’s Office conducted 10 undercover operations at six Worldcoin operation points in Hong Kong. On January 31, 2024, armed with a court warrant, the Privacy Commissioner’s Office entered the six Worldcoin operation points located in Yau Ma Tei, Kwun Tong, Wan Chai, Cyberport, Central, and Causeway Bay for investigation. After two rounds of inquiries, the investigation has now been completed. The investigation found that participants in the Worldcoin project were required to allow the relevant institution to collect their facial and iris images through iris scanning to "verify" human identity and create iris codes, thereby obtaining a registered identity (i.e., World ID) and periodically receiving free virtual currency "Worldcoin." Worldcoin confirmed that during its operations in Hong Kong, facial and iris scans were conducted for a total of 8,302 individuals.