Google's proposed search engine in China wants to identify users with phone numbers

It has been over a month since reports of Google working on a tailored version of its search engine for China stormed the internet. A source familiar with matter told the publication that the prototype of search engine in China would link the search app on users' Android smartphones with their phone number. Furthermore, the search engine would be operated as a joint venture with a company based in mainland China and people working with the joint venture would have the capability to update the list of blacklisted terms, which has raised fresh concerns if Google executives in the States would be able to maintain a stronghold over the censorship. Meanwhile, the latest development has also raised concerns among the human rights advocates who warn that such a product would lead to a detailed profiling of the people's behavior. "This is very problematic from a privacy point of view, because it would allow far more detailed tracking and profiling of people's behavior," Cynthia Wong, senior internet researcher with Human Rights Watch told the publication.