Human verification tool vs cyber threats eyed for launch this year

MANILA, Philippines — World, the largest human-centered financial and identity network, is looking to roll out its unique human verification device in the Philippines within this year to help address cyber threats.

Damien Kieran, chief legal and privacy officer of World and Tools for Humanity, told reporters the plan is to launch nationwide a device called the Orb, which enables World ID holders to verify their humanness and uniqueness, within the year.

Through World ID, Filipinos will be able to anonymously and securely prove they are a real and unique human and not a bot powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Kieran said an ongoing pilot of The Orb has been completed in select cities in Bulacan and the plan is to expand to new locations, including Gateway Mall in Quezon City and Greenhills Mall in San Juan City.

“The target market for World ID and the World Network is, honestly, every human. Our goal is for every person to be able to use it and to benefit from it,” he said.

Amid strong social media use and rapid AI adoption in the country, World believes there is a need for new tools that would help protect Filipinos online against fraud and misinformation.

World ID will also be able to help protect Filipinos from deepfakes given World’s recently announced Deep Face technology.

According to World, deepfake-related identity fraud cases surged by 4,500 percent in the Philippines between 2022 and 2023.

Reports of spikes in bot-driven misinformation and high-profile fraud and cyber cases also continue as the country approaches the mid-term elections in May.

To participate in the World Network, Filipinos need to download the World app and verify their humanness via the Orb.

As part of efforts to help strengthen the country’s cyber ecosystem, World and Tools for Humanity have partnered with the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP), the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) and Secure Digital Life Center (SDLC) to help Filipinos navigate the digital world safely.

The initiative will involve nationwide campaigns to teach individuals and businesses about cyber threats and best practices; use of advanced and privacy-respecting technologies to protect user identities; strengthening cybersecurity frameworks and promoting public-private collaboration to drive effective cybersecurity policies.

“Through this collaboration, we are committed to bringing cutting-edge digital security solutions that will not only protect Filipinos but also enhance trust in online transactions and services,” Kieran said.

As the Philippines is among the most targeted countries for cyberattacks in Southeast Asia, Lito Averia, founding president of PH-CERT and chairman of SDLC said cybersecurity should not be seen as a technical issue, but a national priority.

“This collaboration is about securing the entire digital ecosystem of the Philippines, ensuring that businesses, communities and individuals can thrive without fear of cyber threats,” he said.

For his part, Sam Jacoba, founding president of NADPOP and SDLC, emphasized the urgency of this initiative in protecting Filipinos online.

“We cannot afford to take digital security lightly. Every Filipino deserves to be protected online and this initiative is a major step toward building a cyber-resilient nation and society. By working together, we can empower individuals, businesses and government agencies to stay ahead of cyber threats,” he said.