If you’re considering verifying your World ID at an Orb – or already have, joining 12M verified humans around the world participating in World Network – you might be wondering what happens to the related data after you verify.
It’s an important question. In today’s world, data privacy is top of mind. That’s why World is private by design, using cutting-edge technologies such as anonymized multi-party computation (AMPC), zero-knowledge proofs and Personal Custody, a privacy-enhancing technology (PET) which ensures consumers remain in control of their data.
What data does the Orb require and what happens to it?
Proof of human verification powered by the Orb only involves one type of data: photos of your eyes and face - it does not require your name, email, gender or anything else.
The iris images are used to verify unique humanness, while the images of your face are used for Face Auth, a security-enhancing feature that ensures only the person who verified their World ID at an Orb can use it.
Here’s what happens, step by step, after you sign up for World App:
- The Orb takes high-resolution images of your irises and face.
- The Orb uses these images to confirm your humanness and creates a unique iris code, splitting it into multiple pieces.
- The Orb sends the images and iris code shares to your phone (your personal custody package), before permanently deleting them.
- Your device sends the iris code shares to the AMPC service.
- Your World ID is verified.
Much of the process and code related to verifying unique humanness, including AMPC and what happens on the Orb, is open sourced for anyone to view and audit here.
Once these steps are completed, you have a verified World ID, your proof of human for the age of AI. With a verified World ID, you can choose to claim a share of WLD tokens* in your World App wallet, associate your World ID with your Razer account for online gaming, use a growing library of Mini Apps that feature everything from educational content to community organization tools, and more.
Iris Codes and AMPC
An iris code is a compact numeric representation of an individual's unique iris texture. Unlike iris images, which are raw, data-rich visual representations, iris codes are stripped-down numeric templates that serve as a digital stand-in for the iris. Importantly, the iris code is not linked to any personal information or actions taken with World ID.
You might be wondering what exactly happens to the iris code after it is generated.
Instead of storing it in any single place, with the AMPC protocol, your iris code is broken into pieces that are anonymized, encrypted, and distributed and securely stored across multiple independent parties, including Nethermind, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and UC Berkeley Center for Responsible Decentralized Intelligence (RDI).
Can I delete my World ID, iris images and AMPC iris code shares?
If you change your mind after verifying your World ID, you can delete your World ID and personal custody package (including images taken by the Orb, which are held by you) at any time, directly from World App. Iris code shares are anonymized before they are sent to the AMPC partners and cannot be deleted.
To learn more about data privacy and World, read the Private by Design whitepaper, visit https://world.org/privacy, or the World Help Center.
Learn more
With more than 27 million users across 160+ countries, World continues to build the infrastructure for human verification in an age increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence. To stay informed about World, visit the World website or subscribe to the blog below. You can also join the daily conversation on all World social media channels, or get additional important information concerning the project by reading the World protocol whitepaper.