{"id":101327,"date":"2024-08-20T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/scanner-son-iris-preuve-dhumanite-unique-pour-sauthentifier-en-ligne\/"},"modified":"2025-01-17T15:00:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T14:00:45","slug":"scanner-son-iris-preuve-dhumanite-unique-pour-sauthentifier-en-ligne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/scanner-son-iris-preuve-dhumanite-unique-pour-sauthentifier-en-ligne\/","title":{"rendered":"Iris scans, \u201cunique proof of humanness\u201d for online authentication?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In July 2023, Sam Altman, co-founder of ChatGPT, and Alex Blania launch a new project, \u201cWorldcoin\u201d, supported by their company \u201cTools for Humanity\u201d. Their aim: to create an alternative financial system based on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. It would eventually enable every human to have a decentralised bank account, regardless of their country of origin or social status, and could even receive a universal income. However, to guarantee security, users will have to \u201cprove their humanness\u201d.<\/h6>\n\n\n<\/div>\n
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The Worldcoin project is even more complex and ambitious than it appears at first sight. It also aims to provide each individual with unique authentication, enabling them to differentiate between humans and machines by scanning their iris (which is currently impossible to falsify). One of its main objectives is to differentiate between humans and machines when artificial intelligence (AI) is making progress in mimicking human behaviour. Sam Altman, a fervent promoter and developer of generative AI, is also convinced that identity verification is already, and will increasingly be in the future, one of the key issues in our online activities and exchanges.<\/p>\n

To deliver this unique authentication, Worldcoin relies on a network of \u2018orbs\u2019, scattered around the world in special locations or partner caf\u00e9s, such as in Paris. Orbs are small metal spheres equipped with a high-precision camera. This camera can scan the texture of the human iris in detail and turn it into a cryptographic code, the famous \u201cunique proof of humanness\u201d. Duplicates are technically impossible, and the orb checks in real time, in the global database of data collected in this way, that there is no other similar iris code already recorded. After attaching the orb and downloading the World App, future users receive their World ID, a form of biometric passport that enables them to access the decentralised finance services offered by Worldcoin on the app. Simultaneously, they unlock 13 WLD, the cryptocurrency created specifically by Tools for Humanity.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n

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\n Voir aussi<\/span>\n
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\n \n \"\"<\/a>\n <\/span>\n \n Et si la tech pouvait sauver le monde<\/a>\n \n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n
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23 September 2024<\/div>\n SOUPIZET Jean-Fran\u00e7ois<\/a>\n
\n 3 min.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n\n Read, Seen, Heard\n <\/a>\n Economics<\/a>\n Science and Technology<\/a>\n Society<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Proof of humanness: the World ID, issued by Worldcoin. Source: <\/em>Numerama<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the space of a year, the thousands of orbs deployed by Tools for Humanity have scanned more than six million retinas, according to the company\u2019s website<\/a>. And WLD, which can be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, has seen its value soar in the space of a few months. At the beginning of 2024, its market capitalisation reached one billion US dollars, according to Forbes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this relative evidence of success, Worldcoin has also very quickly come up against bstacles, starting with concerns about the protection of personal data. The company assures us that<\/a> the images taken of the irises are neither directly linked to the person (who is not asked for their first or last name or any other sensitive information at the time of collection) nor stored on the orb (only the indecipherable cryptographic code is recorded). Tools for Humanity has even made its programme open source to<\/a> reassure citizens and regulators. In France, this was not enough to convince the CNIL (Commission nationale de l\u2019informatique et des libert\u00e9s), which is currently conducting an investigation<\/a> into the legality of the data collection, the conditions under which it is stored, its possible transfer outside Europe and the possibility for users to request its deletion, in the light of the rules imposed by the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Spain has asked the company to \u201ccease its activities immediately\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n

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However, it is in the countries with the least stringent regulations that Worldcoin has expanded the most, especially in Latin and South America. Despite what Sam Altman and his partners claim, this is not due to a greater appetite for cryptocurrencies among these populations, but to a much more trivial reason, as Mediapart<\/em> tells us in a survey<\/a> published on the subject in March 2024: \u201cthey are poor\u201d. So the people who agreed to have their retinas scanned first did so to gain access to the small WLD wallet offered by Tools for Humanity when it created its World ID. Worse still, iris trafficking quickly took off, in Argentina for example. Intermediaries there buy cheap smartphones on which they can host several users, in other words several World IDs. They then look for targets, often homeless people, who agree to have their eye scanned in the nearest orb, using the loaned phone with the World App already downloaded, in exchange for a small amount of cash. These intermediaries take the 13 WLD obtained by the new user from the operation, which, once converted into local currency, enables them to make profit. But above all, they keep a \u201cunique proof of humanness\u201d that does not belong to them and can, in theory, use it as they wish instead of the person who has accepted their deal. So far, they can simply carry out financial transactions on the Worldcoin platform using several different identities, which contravenes the single sign-on project. However, if this identification system were to grow and be extended to new services, this kind of misuse could undoubtedly lead to other abuses, the extent of which is difficult to assess at present.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n

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\n Voir aussi<\/span>\n
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\n \n \"\"<\/a>\n <\/span>\n \n States up against the Internet Giants<\/a>\n \n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n
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26 April 2023<\/div>\n SOUPIZET Jean-Fran\u00e7ois<\/a>\n
\n 20 p.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n\n Journal Article\n <\/a>\n Economics<\/a>\n Science and Technology<\/a>\n Society<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Finally, like any major technological project, Worldcoin faces the question of the amount of resources needed to implement it. The company is already experiencing problems with the production of orbs<\/a>, which contain complex sensors that are difficult to obtain in a highly competitive environment. The project also assumes that everyone has a smartphone to access the application and its \u201cproof of humanness\u201d, and therefore access to electricity. The blockchain itself, which underpins Worldcoin, is highly energy-intensive.<\/p>\n

All this raises questions about the future of Sam Altman and Alex Blania\u2019s company. It is ambitious, it stands at the crossroads of technological innovations (blockchain, cryptocurrencies) that hold out the promise of a new decentralised financial model. It is pragmatic and seeks to resolve the issue of personal authentication in a world where \u201chumanness\u201d is increasingly easy to falsify. However, it is not immune to the logic of capitalism, environmental constraints or cybersecurity risks. Worse still, could it not give rise to new and unprecedented problems, such as the complete theft of one\u2019s online identity? Can we really base everything on digital systems? Is it realistic today to want to do without trusted third parties in the physical world?<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n

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\n Voir aussi<\/span>\n
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\n \n \"\"<\/a>\n <\/span>\n \n What is the environmental impact of artificial intelligence?<\/a>\n \n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n
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30 July 2024<\/div>\n LE BEC Antoine<\/a>\n MARTI Pierre-Antoine<\/a>\n
\n 6 min.\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \n <\/use>\n<\/svg>\n\n Newswatch\n <\/a>\n Environment<\/a>\n Science and Technology<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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N.B.:<\/em> this article has been translated from French by DeepL, and revised by the author and Futuribles.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In July 2023, Sam Altman, co-founder of ChatGPT, and Alex Blania launch a new project, \u201cWorldcoin\u201d, supported by their company \u201cTools for Humanity\u201d. Their aim: to create an alternative financial system based on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. It would eventually enable every human to have a decentralised bank account, regardless of their country of origin or … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":96379,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[140],"tags":[210,212],"keyword":[988,1259,2643,1306,1313,1238],"class_list":["post-101327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newswatch","tag-science-et-technique-en","tag-societe-en","keyword-intelligence-artificielle-en","keyword-cybersecurite-en","keyword-digital","keyword-technologie-de-pointe-en","keyword-vie-privee-en","keyword-societe-et-individu-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101327"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101334,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101327\/revisions\/101334"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101327"},{"taxonomy":"keyword","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futuribles.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/keyword?post=101327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}