Reddit is weighing a plan to use iris‑scanning orbs from World, the project co‑founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, to check that each account belongs to a real person.
The plan, reported by Semafor, would let users prove they are unique without giving up their anonymity. Talks are underway between Reddit and Tools for Humanity, the group behind World ID.
The move comes as AI spam floods social feeds and new laws push sites to verify user ages.
Proposed Verification System
Under the idea, Redditors could scan their eyes with a World orb to earn a World ID credential. That ID would show they are not bots or repeat sign‑ups. Reddit would not see any personal data or the scan itself.
Instead, it would accept a proof that a unique person passed the check. Users who wish to stay anonymous could still keep their usernames and profiles hidden.
How World ID Works?
World orbs take a photo of a user’s iris, which is unique for everyone. The system then turns that image into an encrypted code. That code is split into parts and stored on servers around the world.
No single server holds the full data, so a hacker would need to break into many sites to rebuild the scan. Even then, they could not link the iris to a name or account.
Privacy and Anonymity
Reddit’s CEO, Steve Huffman, has said the site must one day confirm that users are human and of legal age. He pledged to work with outside experts so that Reddit does not collect extra personal details.
World ID’s design fits that goal by not sharing any private data with the social network. Users would choose whether they want to scan their iris or use another ID tool instead.
Industry and Legal Pressure
Social platforms face rising pressure from governments mulling new age checks. In the US, several states have proposed laws that force sites to prove the age of their visitors.
At the same time, AI‑driven impersonation tests, like one led by Zurich researchers, have raised alarms on impersonation risks. Last month, Reddit lawyers even sent legal letters to the University of Zurich over its AI scam experiment.
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Benefits for Tools for Humanity
If Reddit becomes a partner, it would boost the profile of Tools for Humanity. The group began six years ago to give people a basic income in Worldcoin tokens in exchange for iris scans.
Back then, it needed a way to stop people from signing up many times to claim more coins. The same system now appeals to sites that need to prove each user is a single person without knowing who they are.
Future of Online IDs
Reddit will not rely on World ID alone. According to the Semafor sources, the site plans to offer users several ways to prove they are real.
Other tools are already on the market, each with its own trade‑offs in ease of use, privacy and cost. Reddit’s move could speed the shift toward more secure and private verification across the web.
As Reddit weighs iris‑based checks, it shows how urgent it is to balance security, privacy and user trust. New AI threats and age laws have pushed platforms to find better ID methods.
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