Positioning proof-of-humanness at the heart of Malaysia’s digital conversation
World (World.org) approached the Malaysian market at a pivotal moment for digital identity and AI adoption. Through strategic public education and proactive media engagement, ROOTS PR introduced World’s World ID — an anonymized digital proof-of-human system built to distinguish real people from bots and AI — and framed the conversation around safety, security, and the societal need for verifiable digital identity. World announced World ID that included Malaysia, positioning the technology as part of a broader effort to prepare societies for an AI-first future.
Educate Malaysian audiences and stakeholders about the role of verifiable digital identity in protecting safety and security in an era of sophisticated AI; secure high-quality media visibility and trusted thought-leadership placements to anchor World as a credible voice in Malaysia’s tech ecosystem.
- Public sensitivity around biometric technologies and privacy concerns given global scrutiny of iris-scan initiatives.
- A complex technical narrative (zero-knowledge proofs, on-device encryption, Orb verification) that needed clear, non-technical framing for mainstream media and the general public.
- The need to position World not merely as a product but as a contributor to national digital infrastructure conversations, especially after MoUs and pilots with government research partners were publicised.
ROOTS PR built a three-pronged communications campaign focused on education, accessibility and reassurance:
- Comms strategy — Developed a narrative framework that foregrounded safety, user control, and privacy protections (how World ID stores proofs on-device and deletes orb images). We crafted messaging for different audiences: regulators, tech press, consumer media, and civil-society commentators.
- Media interviews — Coordinated interviews with World spokespeople and subject-matter experts. We arranged contextual briefings to explain the technology’s privacy safeguards (on-device encryption, zero-knowledge proofs) and use-cases for Malaysia (fraud prevention, safe access to services). These interviews gave journalists balanced, accurate material for feature stories and broadcast segments.
- Byline articles — Commissioned and placed bylines that translated technical concepts into practical implications for citizens and businesses: why proof-of-humanness matters, how it can protect digital services, and how safeguards mitigate privacy risk. These thought pieces helped shape public framing away from alarm and toward informed debate.
Execution highlights
- Targeted briefings with major national outlets and tech desks to pre-empt misinterpretation and ensure technical accuracy.
- Rapid response support to journalists during early rollouts and pilots, addressing questions about data handling and the role of Orbs in verification.
- ROOTS PR secured 94 media coverages in Malaysia across bylines, interviews and press releases, with a reported PR value of RM6.5 million within six months. (Client-provided performance metric.)
- Coverage included mainstream and technology outlets and focused conversations on the need for verifiable ID systems to protect citizens and services as generative AI and automated accounts proliferate.
The campaign moved the needle from polarized debate to constructive discussion: media stories increasingly highlighted practical benefits (fraud prevention, safer online commerce, quality of digital public services) alongside clear explanations of privacy safeguards — casting World as a legitimate contributor to Malaysia’s conversation about identity in the age of AI. The public narrative in Malaysian news cycles referenced pilots, partnership announcements, and technical safeguards that were central to acceptance.
