Ugh. A “H
uman flesh search engine” sounds like something from a late-nineties Clive Barker novel.
In actual fact, it is a term used on the Chinese end of the internet for a swarm of eager ‘net users pooling their resources to research a subject. One such swarm (I’m not typing the human flesh thing again - I’m trying to eat my lunch as I type this) has become obsessed with tracking down iPhone Girl - the cute factory worker who left a series of photos for an unsuspecting UK iPhone owner.
The net.mob seem to have tracked her down to the FoxConn factory in Shenzhen (not that difficult, presumably, as that is where Apple contracts iPhone assembly).
FoxConn spokesman Liu Kun confirmed that the girl works at the factory and was able to put our minds at reast by saying that she will not be fired, calling the prank “A beautiful mistake.”
FoxConn will not reveal the worker’s identity, saying that she was ‘nervous’ after seeing her photo plastered all over the internet.
The Shenzen facility was the subject of a 2006 investigation by APple, who were concerned at reports of poor working conditions. FoxConn subsequently agreed to rectify some problems concerning harsh treatment of workers and overcrowded dormitories.
Continuing our ongoing series of quirky Chinese phones, ZTE’s i766 was one of the most western handsets we came across at Mobile World Congress, both in terms of build quality and features.
