TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Director of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Institute, Heru Sutadi, once again reminded the public about the risks of biometric data leaks and the risks of crypto assets.
This reminder is still related to the steps taken by the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) to freeze the operations of Worldcoin and WorldID due to suspected suspicious activities.
"Crypto money is difficult to predict. Sometimes it can rise, suddenly it can drop sharply," he said when contacted by Tempo on Monday, May 5, 2025.
According to Heru, crypto assets are often used for digital fraud schemes in Indonesia. One of the most striking examples is the fraud and illegal investment by Doni Salmanan through Binary Option in 2022.
The man known as 'crazy rich Bandung' was arrested after actively promoting the binary option application Quotex through YouTube and other social media. He promised big profits in a short time.
Binary option services are digital gambling, where users guess the rise and fall of asset prices. The unregistered Quotex application caused many users to suffer losses. In March 2022, Doni was imprisoned for alleged fraud and money laundering.
"In the end, it harms users in a considerable amount, even hundreds of millions or billions," he said.
Heru also emphasized the importance of protecting biometric data such as retinal scans. "Biometrics are indeed a matter that is highly protected under the Personal Data Protection (PDP) law," he stated.
Komdigi suspended the Worldcoin and WorldID services temporarily starting Sunday, May 4, 2025, due to reports of residents in Bekasi and Depok queuing to register and undergo retinal scans at the Worldcoin office. Those who were willing to scan their eyes were reportedly promised a cash reward of IDR 300-800 thousand.
As reported by World, Worldcoin is an operational crypto currency regulated through governance mechanisms by a global network called the World Network.
Worldcoin is a crypto project created by Chief Executive Officer of OpenAI, Sam Altman. Meanwhile, WorldID is part of Worldcoin that uses biometric data as user identity.
Heru added that biometric data is very sensitive and is the last layer of protection for personal data that must be closely guarded. Vital data such as retina and iris scans, as well as fingerprints, should not be shared carelessly.
"If our data is leaked, such as name, address, ID, and all sorts, biometrics are the last line of defense," he said.
He also emphasized that the public should not easily trust anyone who claims to be able to protect data, because at present there is no one that can truly be trusted.
The Worldcoin developer, Tools for Humanity (TFH), stated that the operational halt was done voluntarily while waiting for further clarity on the applicable permits and licenses in Indonesia. The management stated readiness to follow up on any deficiencies in permits, if found by the regulator.
"We hope to continue the constructive and supportive dialogue that has been established over the past year with the relevant government parties," the statement from Tools for Humanity received by Tempo on Monday, May 5, 2025, read.
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