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NEXTDOOR.COM

NextDoor is a social network for neighborhoods. It is a neighbor-to-neighbor forum that gives homeowners a convenient place to share information about a good handyman, plumber, or electrician. It can be used to post things for sale, information about local events, or ask for help finding a lost pet. Some consider it the best neighborhood social network ever created, while others consider it the spawn of Hell. It can be both, depending on how it is used.

NextDoor is useful when it is used to pass on helpful information about vendors and local events. Unfortunately, some HOA members use it to rant endlessly about the board, the manager, or to bully other members and polarize the community. The site can turn into a toxic dump. Following are comments from former users:

I subscribed to NextDoor when I moved into my neighborhood. I have since unsubscribed from all notifications for it - it's insanely toxic and people are really terrible on there.

I absolutely hate Nextdoor. The most toxic social media... neighbors against neighbors. I strongly suggest staying away from this app. I am so sorry I signed up for it. Bullying is at an all time high.

National Public Radio learned how easily bad actors can hijack social media. NPR disabled the "comment" portion of their website. They discovered that "public" input turned out to be only .06% of their listeners. They also discovered that the majority of that tiny fraction consisted mostly of disaffected ranters who were abusive and posted endlessly. In other words, the crazies took over. The same thing can happen with NextDoor, where bullies and trolls take over.

Recommendation: To keep NextDoor a friendly forum for owners to use, those in charge of the network should set guidelines on what can be posted, and stop abusive behavior that can ruin it for everyone. They should block those who use the forum to rant, attack neighbors, board members, and managers, and make threats. Otherwise, NextDoor deteriorates into a toxic wasteland. For more information about social media guidelines, see our "Media Menu."

ASSISTANCE: Associations needing legal assistance can contact us. To stay current with issues affecting community associations, subscribe to the Davis-Stirling Newsletter.

Adams Stirling PLC