Reddit Explores World ID Iris-Scanning Tech for User Verification Amid AI and Age-Check Demands

Reddit is in discussions to adopt World ID, a digital identity system based on iris-scanning technology created by Tools for Humanity, a company co-founded by Sam Altman. The aim is to verify that users are unique individuals while preserving anonymity. This move comes in response to increasing concerns over AI-generated content and new laws requiring age verification on social media. World ID uses a device called the Orb to scan a person’s iris and create an encrypted, non-reversible identifier that is stored in fragments across multiple servers. Users can then receive a World ID stored securely on their phone, without revealing personal data.

The company’s approach is designed to prevent duplicate identities without compromising privacy. While the technology offers a way to verify humanity and age without traditional data collection, its adoption raises questions about trust and centralization, especially as Altman plays a major role in both AI development and its countermeasures. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has signaled the platform will use third-party solutions to comply with new regulations without managing user data directly. World ID might become one of several verification options offered to Reddit users.

While the tech promises increased privacy and security, some critics worry about the potential concentration of power and the mandatory nature such systems could assume in the future digital landscape.