Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA —  The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued a cease and desist order against a company offering cash for an eye scan, citing alleged data privacy violations. The NPC said it issued the order against Tools for Humanity, which is behind the World App and Orb verification system.  According to the agency, the technology firm’s data processing “did not adhere with the General Data Privacy Principles and violated the Rights of Data Subjects under the [Data Privacy Act of 2012].”“The NPC determined that offering monetary incentives to individuals in exchange for submitting to iris scanning constituted undue influence. This rendered the consent obtained not freely given, and therefore invalid under the DPA and relevant NPC issuances,” the NPC statement read.  “[Tools for Humanity] failed to adequately inform data subjects of the purpose, scope, extent, and duration of data processing as it did not provide a clear or accessible explanation in its privacy notice or policy—violating the principle of transparency and the data subjects’ right to be informed,” it added. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/11/13/new-biometrics-system-for-ph-airports-to-be-tested-1832">New biometrics system for Philippine airports to be tested </a> </div>The NPC described an iris pattern as an “immutable biometric identifier” and collecting it is “excessive and not necessary”. Tools for Humanity, it said, sought to collect iris scans to supposedly prove or authenticate these individuals as human. “The NPC found that continued processing of such biometric data exposes Filipino data subjects to serious and lifelong risks, including identity theft, fraud, and reputational harm. The nature of biometric data makes any unauthorized processing irreversible and enduring,” it added. Deputy Privacy Commissioner Jose Amelito S. Belarmino II warned the public against such schemes, emphasizing that a Filipino’s biometric data is non-negotiable. “When consent is compromised by the lure of compensation, it ceases to be a genuine expression of choice,” Belarmino said. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/5/30/global-privacy-in-the-ai-era-tech-takeaways-from-the-8th-national-data-privacy-conference-1456">Navigating the borderless digital world: AI, PETs, and the future of privacy</a></div>“This Cease and Desist Order sends a clear message that the NPC will not tolerate practices that exploit socioeconomic vulnerabilities or compromise fundamental data privacy rights in pursuit of business objectives,” he said.‘SETBACK’ In a statement, World in the Philippines described NPC’s decision as a “setback,” saying it fully complied with the country’s data privacy law. “The company completed a year-long compliance process while making significant, legitimate investments in the country that began long before the technology was made available to Filipinos,” the company’s statement read.  Aside from this, it said its team “underwent extensive regulatory review,” and even participated in the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Sandbox Program and even a formal registration with the NPC. The cease and desist order, according to the technology firm, would deprive Filipinos of technology that would protect them from scams, identity theft, and even fraud related to AI.  Ryuji Wolf, representative of World here in the Philippines, said their initiative only sought responsible digital innovation and said they were surprised with the agency’s cease and desist order. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/5/13/inner-workings-of-ai-an-enigma-even-to-its-creators-1305">Inner workings of AI an enigma - even to its creators</a></div>“This sudden change in interpretation undermines the certainty that legitimate investors rely on when working with Philippine regulators. All these steps were done transparently and in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012,” Wolf said.  “We don’t store, sell, or purchase biometric data,” he added. Wolf said that their system only seeks to know if a person is human and said this does not collect the person’s personal information (name, address, birthday, phone number). “All biometric images are anonymously processed locally and deleted within seconds,” the firm said. Wolf, for his part, reiterated that their system “does not identify individuals.”“It simply verifies that they are unique humans, not bots or AI accounts,” he said. Wolf said World would file a motion for reconsideration with the NPC regarding the  matter cease and desist order.<div> </div>

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued a cease and desist order against a company offering cash for an eye scan, citing alleged data privacy violations.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued a cease and desist order against a company offering cash for an eye scan, citing alleged data privacy violations .

'Cash for iris scan': NPC issues cease and desist vs firm amid alleged data privacy violations

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'Cash for iris scan': NPC issues cease and desist vs firm amid alleged data privacy violations

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 11, 2025 05:47 PM PHT

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