afternoonbuzz

Data Breach Observatory, AGROSUS Weed Database, NYC Food Resources, More: Monday Afternoon ResearchBuzz, November 3, 2025

NEW RESOURCES

Engadget: Proton launches ‘Data Breach Observatory’ to track personal info leaks . “The [Data Breach Observatory] is intended to be a continually updated report that records any data leak detected on the dark web, with information sourced from the underground data marketplaces themselves.”

Launched in March but I just found it and it’s important. From AGROSUS: AGROSUS Unveils Comprehensive Weed Database to Support Sustainable Agriculture. “AGROSUS project is excited to announce the launch of a groundbreaking weed database, featuring detailed information on 117 weed species, including their herbicide resistance, herbicide treatments, and agroecological management strategies.”

Spotted on LinkedIn: The NYC Directory of Resources and Aid. “Showing 109 resources and 48 weekly food distros.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Ars Technica: Google makes first Play Store changes after losing Epic Games antitrust case. “Having lost the antitrust case brought by Epic Games, Google has implemented the first phase of changes mandated by the court. Developers operating in the Play Store will have more freedom to direct app users to resources outside the Google bubble. However, Google has not given up hope of reversing its loss before it’s forced to make bigger changes.”

USEFUL STUFF

MakeUseOf: This browser extension keeps every idea I highlight instantly searchable. “This Chrome extension lets you highlight text on any webpage and keeps all your highlights searchable and organized in one place. No more lost bookmarks. No more hunting through history. Everything you highlight becomes instantly findable. You can tag highlights, add notes, and search across your entire library.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Mashable: ‘I Love LA’ review: Rachel Sennott’s comedy is an influencer-focused laugh riot. “At first glance, I Love LA appears to channel the same energy as the movies Sennott parodied in 2019. The trailer promises glamorous house parties, celebrity cameos, and even a woman smoking cocaine. (Yes, a thumping techno soundtrack is also involved.) But it’s been six years since Sennott first declared, “What? It’s L.A.!” and now she has more to say, along with more space in which to say it.”

Earthbound Report: The Green Libraries Manifesto. “It’s Green Libraries Week this week, an event that is organised by the library association CILIP. There are a handful of events across the UK, looking at the role that libraries play in climate change. They are also encouraging libraries to sign up to their manifesto.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

BBC: Young Russians are being seduced by a cheap, dangerous weight-loss pill called Molecule. “The packaging for Molecule pills often lists ‘natural ingredients’ such as dandelion root and fennel seed extract. But earlier this year, journalists at the Russian newspaper Izvestiya submitted pills they had purchased online for testing and found they contained a substance called sibutramine.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

PsyPost: Problematic social media use linked to loneliness and death anxiety. “A study of adult social media users in Italy suggested that loneliness and death anxiety might mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and problematic social media use. The paper was published in Death Studies.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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