- Face Auth provides enhanced security by ensuring that only the verified user can access their World ID (a digital passport of humanity). It is fully encrypted and operates entirely on the user’s device.
- Developed by Sam Altman and Alex Blania in 2019, Worldcoin’s humanity verification services, World ID, now have more than 6 million verified users and 12 million app downloads globally. In Mexico, they have been available since late 2023 in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 27, 2024 – Worldcoin announced today the launch of Face Auth, the new security feature for World ID, designed to ensure that only the person who was verified in an orb, a state-of-the-art camera that converts an iris image into code, can use it.
This marks a significant step towards secure, privacy-focused identity verification for online activities, financial transactions, and more. Worldcoin’s mission is to create a secure way to verify your identity without compromising your privacy in a world where it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish between humans and bots. The project aims to address these challenges by offering a simple and anonymous way to verify that a person is human without revealing their identity.
Face Auth is the latest addition to Worldcoin’s suite of privacy-enhancing technologies. It is a method that verifies identity by comparing a selfie taken in real-time with an image stored on the phone during the creation of the World ID. This ensures that only the true owner of the World ID can use it, protecting against fraud or unauthorized access, as the comparison is done directly on the user’s device.
How Does Face Auth Work?
- Selfie Capture: When using Face Auth, the user will be asked to take a selfie through the World app on their phone.
- Comparison: The app compares this selfie with the high-resolution image taken during verification in the orb, which is securely and encrypted stored on the user’s phone.
- Verification: If the two images match, Face Auth verifies the user and allows them to proceed with their transaction or login.
To see how the new Face Auth feature works, check out the short demo video here.
For users, Face Auth will be as familiar as any other facial recognition technology in the apps they commonly use on their smartphones, but with one key difference: Face Auth ensures that the person using the World app is the same person who created the World ID in an orb. Unlike other facial recognition tools linked to device hardware, Face Auth is linked to the app. This approach guarantees that only the verified person can access the World ID, reducing the risk of fraud.
The entire authentication process takes place on the user’s phone, with encryption ensuring privacy. Neither Tools for Humanity nor Worldcoin have access to the data.
“We want all our users to have the confidence to verify themselves, with the assurance that their identity and personal data are protected,” stated Tools for Humanity Mexico.
Artificial intelligence makes it harder to distinguish between humans and bots online. Worldcoin’s World ID is an innovative digital passport of humanity that allows people to certify online that they are human and unique without revealing who they are. World ID offers a secure method for providing “proof of humanity” while allowing individuals to maintain control and privacy over their data. Worldcoin does not need to know who you are, only that you are a unique human being.
