Worldcoin Locks Minors Out - Privately

The dream of a “real human network” dies if teenagers can slip through signup forms or if adults must surrender personal data to prove they’re 18. Worldcoin (WLD) solves the dilemma with a three-layer system that enforces legal age requirements while treating privacy as non-negotiable.

Layer 1: Local proof inside World App

On first launch the mobile app asks for a birth date. The entry is hashed and stored only in secure enclave storage on your device. If the date shows the user is under legal age, the UI locks and a flag prevents re-registration-even if the app is force-quit, reinstalled, or the phone is rebooted. 

Hash, flag, and logic all remain local, so privacy stays intact and outsiders can’t see or steal birth dates. Users who mistype can regain access by scanning an NFC passport or by passing a third-party verifier. Either route produces a credential that proves the required age without exposing the actual date.

Layer 2: Human operator common sense

When someone steps up to an Orb for the proof-of-human scan, the operator must refuse service if the person appears under 18. Operators don’t request IDs; instead they redirect the individual to the same passport or verifier flow. 

Their job is simply to add a second set of eyes-an important fallback when technology alone might be tricked.

Layer 3: Orb machine-learning watchdog

While the Orb captures biometrics, an on-device neural network estimates apparent age. If the model thinks the user is too young, the scan halts instantly and the person is told to contact support. No image or estimate leaves the Orb, cementing privacy by design.

Because none of these layers stores or transmits raw dates of birth, there is no honeypot for hackers-yet the network maintains confidence that every participant is a verified adult. Worldcoin publishes open-source components, commissions regular audits, and consults regulators to keep the system transparent. 

With a digital world swarming with AI bots and sock-puppets, a community of provably adult humans-protected by rigorous privacy safeguards-becomes a uniquely valuable asset. Worldcoin demonstrates that platforms can respect users’ secrets, satisfy legal rules, and still scale to millions, one verified grown-up at a time.

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