World, the biometric identity verification network co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is pushing back against a cease-and-desist order issued by the Philippines’s National Privacy Commission (NPC), calling the decision a ‘setback for responsible digital innovation and a surprising reversal’ after completing regulatory compliance procedures.
The NPC issued the order against Tools for Humanity (TFH), the company behind World, following what the firm describes as a ‘year-long compliance process’ that included participation in government sandbox programs and consultations with privacy experts.
World claimed that the decision could prevent millions of Filipinos from accessing technology designed to combat scams, identity theft, and AI-driven fraud-concerns that have intensified as AI becomes more sophisticated.
‘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,’ said Ryuji Wolf, a local operator representing World in the Philippines.
The company pointed to what it called a ‘sudden shift’ in the NPC’s position following a supposed change in the commission’s leadership. It described the move as ‘alarming’ given World’s ongoing collaboration with agencies including DICT and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on AI-related security issues.
At the center of the dispute is World’s biometric verification system, which the company says verifies users are human without collecting personally identifiable information such as names, addresses, birth dates, or phone numbers.
‘Our system does not identify individuals. It simply verifies that they are unique humans, not bots or AI accounts,’ Wolf said. ‘We don’t store, sell, or purchase biometric data.’
The system has attracted ‘millions’ of Filipino users since launching in February, according to the company, which also employs more than a thousand Filipinos across operations, technology, and community outreach roles.
World said it will file a motion for reconsideration with the NPC and pursue all available legal remedies to challenge the order.
‘World remains committed to working transparently with regulators to clarify the system’s design and demonstrate its full adherence to Philippine law,’ Wolf said.