TL;DR
- Reddit is in talks with Tools for Humanity to integrate World ID, an iris-scanning technology that verifies users without revealing their identity.
- The possible adoption aims to curb bots, fake content, and comply with new age verification laws, without forcing users to adopt the tool.
- The rumor pushed Worldcoin (WLD) up 5%, though it later slipped and now trades around $0.90, down 3.8% over the past 24 hours.
Reddit is considering adopting Worldcoin’s biometric verification technology to authenticate users without compromising their identity.
According to reports from media outlets and social media, the company is in talks with Tools for Humanity, the developer of the World ID system, which uses iris scanners to confirm that a person is real and unique without storing visible personal data.
This move responds to a surge in fake accounts, AI-generated content, and new regulations requiring online platforms to verify users’ ages. The technology creates an encrypted credential from the iris scan, which is fragmented and stored across distributed servers. Each user receives a unique World ID stored on their mobile device, enabling them to confirm identity and age anonymously. The system automatically blocks attempts by individuals it detects as under 18.
Reddit Won’t Make World ID Mandatory
Reddit’s plan does not include mandatory implementation of this tool. If it moves forward, World ID would become one of several verification options available to users, with limited features for those who choose not to use it. Additionally, the World app allows users to validate personal documents like passports directly from their device, without sending information to external servers.
Worldcoin (WLD) Drops Despite the News
The rumor about this possible integration initially lifted Worldcoin (WLD) by 5%, though the token later retreated and now trades around $0.90, down 3.8% in the last 24 hours. The market sees a confirmed partnership as a potential catalyst for WLD, amid expectations that more social platforms might adopt decentralized identity solutions.
It’s worth noting that Worldcoin remains a controversial and widely criticized project globally, due to concerns about how it handles user information and the mechanics behind its system. Despite undergoing audits, it has failed to reassure much of the crypto community and regulatory authorities, who continue to distrust its data protection protocols and how user information is processed.
This Reddit initiative comes as several U.S. states push forward with legislation requiring stricter age controls online. Just weeks ago, the company sued researchers for using artificial intelligence to impersonate users on the platform. And in May, it struck a deal with OpenAI to license content for training language models — a move that increases Reddit’s regulatory exposure around user authentication and data management.
