Reddit May Adopt Worldcoin Iris Scanners for User Verification
Reddit May Adopt Worldcoin Iris Scanners for User Verification
Reddit May Adopt Worldcoin Iris Scanners for User Verification
Reddit is reportedly exploring the use of Worldcoin’s iris-scanning “orbs” as a potential method for user verification — a move that has already drawn criticism from users concerned about privacy and anonymity.
According to a report from Semafor on Friday, citing two people familiar with the matter, Reddit is considering implementing World ID, a verification system developed by Tools for Humanity, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The system is designed to confirm that each user is a unique human being.
The report suggests that even with World ID, Redditors may still have the option to remain anonymous, maintaining one of the platform’s long-held values.
User Backlash: “I’ll Delete My Account”
The potential move has triggered strong backlash from the Reddit community. Many users have already vowed to delete their accounts or switch to other platforms if the biometric-based system is adopted.
“Tell me — should I be happy that Reddit may enter the crypto space, or sad that they want to verify us by a method we already declined when World launched?” wrote Reddit user Savi321.
Worldcoin’s iris-scanning technology has faced regulatory scrutiny and criticism from privacy advocates around the world. Some jurisdictions have even sought to ban the collection of biometric data by the company.
Despite the controversy, Worldcoin reported in May that over 12 million people had already scanned their irises using its orbs.
Worldcoin Expands Across the US and Beyond
In April, Worldcoin announced expansion plans across six U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco. Other companies have also expressed interest in the technology.
Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and Hinge, is reportedly preparing a pilot program to implement World ID into its dating apps. Meanwhile, Visa has announced a Worldcoin credit card available to users who’ve completed iris scans.
Reddit CEO Hints at Upcoming Identity Checks
On May 5, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman published a post stating that the platform will soon require “a little more information” from users to comply with regulations regarding age verification and artificial intelligence safeguards.
“We will need to know whether you are a human, and in some locations, whether you are an adult,” Huffman said.
“But we never want to know your name or who you are.”
He added that Reddit would partner with third-party services to verify users without directly accessing their personal identity data.
