Reddit weighs using eyeball-scanning tech created by World crypto project: report

Reddit, following Tinder, is considering using the human verification technology developed by World, the crypto project created in part by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to a report from Semafor."World ID could soon become a way for Reddit users to verify that they are unique individuals while remaining anonymous on the platform," Semafor reported, citing two anonymous sources.World, formerly Worldcoin, assigns World IDs to people willing to prove their humanness by allowing a small electronic orb to scan their iris. The iris scan enables World to create a unique mark for an individual.New users receive cryptocurrency in the form of WLD tokens as a signup bonus. While the project has at times created controversy as it launched across the globe, World's aim to scale appears to be gaining momentum.At the end of April, World announced that it was launching in the U.S. and had partnered with Match Group, the parent company behind the popular dating apps like Tinder and Hinge. In Japan, Tinder will test using World's tech to help users gain increased clarity about the true identity of those they are interacting with on the app.If successful, using technology like World's on dating apps to verify things like if users are human, or are as old as they say they are on the profile, could become increasingly common.Unlike Instagram and TikTokReddit, a platform that emphasizes the content users produce rather than celebrating personal identity in the vein of Instagram and TikTok, could be a unique place to test out World's tech. On Reddit, generally speaking, users feel more free to speak their minds and interact due to the anonymous nature created by people using pseudonymous monikers on the platform.According to Semafor, Reddit recently considered taking legal action against the University of Zurich after researchers their "used AI to impersonate actual users in an experiment on the powers of AI persuasion." Semafor also cited stories about U.S. states mulling laws that would require internet companies to verify the age of their users.Being required to prove you are human could become increasingly common and necessary when interacting on the internet. As artificial intelligence advances and the number of autonomous agents surges, the project is wagering that verifying humanity will become commonplace.Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.