World, formerly known as Worldcoin, launched its biometric ID system in the United States, allowing users to exchange biometric data for cryptocurrency tokens, specifically WLD. The rollout is taking place in six cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco, following previous restrictions that barred U.S. citizens from receiving tokens due to regulatory concerns. With over 12 million global users and 400,000 new sign-ups in a recent week, World aims to establish a privacy-first digital identity solution amidst significant backlash regarding privacy and data protection. Critics have raised alarms over recruitment practices and potential coercion linked to iris scanning, with regulatory scrutiny resulting in halted operations in some countries. Despite regulatory hurdles, World has partnered with various companies and introduced several new features, including integrations with entities like Match Group and predictive markets, amidst a backdrop of rapid technological advancements in artificial intelligence and identity verification.

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