China has accused the United States of spreading disinformation after reports emerged that the Biden administration had called for ByteDance, Ltd., the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell its stakes in the app. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters that America has not presented evidence that Tiktok threatens national security and was using data security as an excuse to suppress foreign companies.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is threatening a ban on the app unless ByteDance divests. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin demanded that American stop “spreading disinformation about data security” and provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses.

TikTok’s popularity is soaring among teenagers in the United States with two-thirds reportedly using it; however controversies surrounding their data collection methods have sparked concerns regarding user privacy and possible misuse by governments. Earlier this month, US National Security Agency director Paul Nakasone warned about Tiktok’s algorithmic control over users’ data collection leading to government surveillance.

ByteDance claims that changing ownership will not solve any problems relating to safeguarding US user data flows or access as algorithms remain under company control regardless of ownership changes issued by governments wishing to suppress their production processes.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the matter as tensions between China and America continue escalating over tech industry giants such as Huawei and ZTE being banned from trade with US firms due to national security concerns.

New genetic evidence suggests that high caffeine levels in a person’s blood may be associated with lower weight. According to Dipender Gill at Imperial College London, who contributed to the study, it does not mean drinking more coffee will lead to weight loss but instead provides another piece of evidence linking caffeine consumption to lower weight.

Previous observational studies suggested a link between caffeine consumption and lower weight, but the study conducted by Gill’s team used genetic differences in how people breakdown caffeine in a randomised trial.

The team analysed data from previous studies that sequenced people’s DNA and tracked their health. The findings revealed those genetically predisposed to have higher caffeine levels had a lower body mass index (BMI) and fat mass compared with people with lower levels of caffeine. They also reported having a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes linked to being overweight.

Although caffeine affects metabolism and energy levels, researchers warn against changing coffee-drinking habits based on these results. If anything, they suggest avoiding milky or sugary coffee drinks as caffeinated beverages could have other detrimental effects including disrupting sleep patterns.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, has become a popular bot tool for natural-sounding conversations on various subjects among users. However, the popularity of the system has raised concerns with cybercriminals who have found ways to mimic the tool and perpetrate scams.

A recent report by Guardio revealed that hackers are using a fake browser extension called “Quick access to Chat GPT” to steal sensitive data from unsuspecting victims. The scam involves stealing all cookies stored on users’ devices, including security and session tokens for Facebook, YouTube, Google accounts, amongst others.

How The Scam Works

The browser extension gives access to the chatbot but also serves as a vehicle for stealing passwords and taking over users’ accounts. Facebook business accounts seem to be a significant target of these scammers as they install backdoors quietly and create malicious paid media apparatus, which facilitates pushing Facebook ads at the expense of victims in a self-propagating manner.

Facebook Accounts at Risk

The report states that high-profile Facebook accounts are highly targeted by these scammers. These attacks can result in stolen identities and financial losses. Although “Quick Access to Chat GPT” was removed from Chrome Web Store after Guardio’s report was published recently, users who had already installed it should promptly delete it from their device or risk falling prey to hackers.