Reddit weighs World’s scanning orbs for user verification — Report

Reddit is reportedly considering using the iris-scanning orbs developed by World, a project by Tools for Humanity co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for its user verification system. This system, known as World ID, uses biometric iris scans to verify that users are unique human individuals while allowing them to remain anonymous if they choose.

The motivation behind this move is to combat the growing problem of bots and AI-generated fake accounts on social media platforms. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has indicated that verifying users' humanity and age is becoming increasingly important due to advances in AI and regulatory requirements. Instead of collecting and storing user data themselves, Reddit aims to leverage third-party solutions like World ID for verification.

World's iris-scanning orbs have already been used by over 12 million people globally, despite facing privacy concerns and regulatory pushback. Some Reddit users have expressed significant privacy concerns about this potential adoption, with some threatening to delete their accounts or move to other platforms if Reddit implements the system.

The World ID system is part of a broader initiative to create a universal digital identity and distribute cryptocurrency (Worldcoin) in exchange for biometric verification. The technology is powered by NVIDIA chips and has launched in six U.S. cities, with other companies like Visa etc exploring its use for identity verification and financial products.

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