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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Andrew Anthony

Is media platform Nextdoor a friend in need or a vigilante nightmare?

Nextdoor on a mobile phone with cityscape in the background
Most postings on Nextdoor are fairly benign, but mention criminal activity and the tone swiftly switches to one of urban embattlement. Photograph: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

Introducing its financial results earlier this month for the fourth quarter of 2021, the community-based social networking platform Nextdoor reiterated its core mission: “Our purpose is to cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbourhood they can rely on.”

It’s a noble aim that’s certainly gaining attention. The network was launched in America in 2011 and has enjoyed steady growth. But, as digital media consultant Martin Ashplant says: “The Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns supercharged that. Suddenly, the hyperlocal view on the world that Nextdoor offered became vital for many.”

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