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Monday, 22 August 2022

TikTok has in-app browser code capable of tracking your keystrokes + Coal is making a comeback in China, thanks to droughts

Your in-app browser clicks, screenshots, and form inputs are being tracked by some of your favorite social media apps — and TikTok is arguably the biggest offender, according to tech researcher Felix Krause. When you open a link on apps like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, it defaults to an in-app browser that can rewrite parts of web pages, Krause told Forbes. On TikTok, code is inserted that can monitor page activity including keystrokes leading to security concerns around passwords or credit card information shared. In response, the Chinese-owned company confirmed that while those script features exist within their code, they are only used for debugging and performance monitoring. Instagram and Facebook also track every tap on a website and monitor when people highlight text, while Snapchat appears to be the least data-hungry, according to Krause’s researchy.

What’s your safest option to get around this? Head to the in-app menu after you’ve clicked and open pages in Safari or your phone’s default browser for more secure surfing.


Drought and heat waves in a southeastern Chinese province is prompting an extension of coal usage to make up for electricity shortages, the Financial Times reports. The drought means that hydropower dams are (literally) running dry and starving industry from energy supplies, forcing a return to coal as an alternative source of energy. Coal consumption to fuel power plants in the country increased 15% y-o-y during the first two weeks of August, according to Vice Premier Han Zheng, forcing government officials to order the closing down of some factories to prioritize key industries and residents. These decisions have impacted automotive manufacturers’ supply chains, while energy shortages have also been felt in subway stations and shopping centers.

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