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We have that to a certain extent with Nextdoor. They take precautions on invites, neighborhoods you live in, and names. Yet, it's one of the messiest of clust

We have that to a certain extent with Nextdoor. They take precautions on invites, neighborhoods you live in, and names. Yet, it's one of the messiest of clusterfucks.

javajosh 6y ago
It's always easier to destroy than to create, and computers are great amplifiers of ideas; it makes sense then that as ideas become more common, more of them would be destructive.
volkk 6y ago
That's a solid point and I wonder if the reason is simply because of the way its marketed and the initial userbase that sort of paved the way for the rest of the app. When I hear of nextdoor, I simply think of local Karens screaming about kids being too loud outside. Sure, there are some decent conversations happening too, but mostly its got that vibe. It's not really touted as a "lets chat about anything" tool, mostly just local neighborhood gossip (at least where I live, and I live in a "cool/hip" neighborhood, can't imagine how bad it is in the suburbs).
- snapetom 6y ago
  It's terrible at least in my burbs. The cynic in me thinks that Nextdoor is just proof that the fundamental thing that makes social media terrible - being a megaphone for egos, pettiness, and narcism - are not overcome by real identities and scope. In my group, there are people that like to stir the pot, and then there are people that love reacting to the stir.
- unexpected 6y ago
  NextDoor is the way it is because they don't do any content moderation at NextDoor HQ - they depend on local "Leads" to do the work. Unfortunately, this model doesn't work. The same person that wants run your HOA and drive you crazy is the same person that becomes a Lead. Once one Lead gets in, only they themselves can promote another person to Lead. In my neighborhood, we had one thoughtful Lead, and one insane Lead. The thoughtful lead carefully deliberated about adding more Leads, while the insane Lead picked her cronies - and then eventually "overthrew" the thoughtful Lead. NextDoor has terrible content moderation and no penalties for infringing users. It's absolutely vile, amplifying the most minority of opinions with no consequences.
  - snapetom 6y ago
    Huh, the moderation issues are one problem with it and now when you put it that way, sounds an awful lot like the moderation system of reddit. And we know how great that is. /s
    - unexpected 6y ago
      Sure, but at least on reddit, if you don't like a moderation style, you can set up a competing sub-reddit r/fitness to r/advancedfitness, or r/weightlifting to r/powerbuilding to r/bodybuidling to r/naturalbodybuilding - the opportunities are endless. No such alternative exists on NextDoor. Don't like the content or moderators? Your only choice is stop participating. I have no idea why NextDoor thinks that is good for their business model. Over time the site will just be populated with Karens.
scottlocklin 6y ago
Nextdoor is one of the best things on the internet. Easily the most constructive large scale BBS type things I've seen since early craigslist. If yours is nuts: it's because the people around you suck. I'm as misanthropic as they come, but the people around me are fucking great. I'll admit it was awful when I lived in Berkeley, but so were the people around me.
- throwaway4715 6y ago
  "It's because the people around you suck." Isn't that the core problem with all social media? If people didn't suck we wouldn't be having this discussion about facebook.
  - scottlocklin 6y ago
    FB is terrible as it puts your aunt Mabel, your 3rd collitch GF, some guy you bought weed off of in HS, and some dude you met at an industry mixer together with 100 of your closest pals and lets them fling poop at each other. You can quit; I did. Don't miss it! Nextdoor is great; lets me know what the neighbors are doing and helps me pick out great local services. Some dudes above pointed out you need some common interest for it to work: being a good neighbor counts as a common interest!
- pnw_hazor 6y ago
  Same. My nextdoor is pretty chill. No one talks politics too busy saving lost pets, recommending handymen and landscapers, and such, I guess.

We have that to a certain extent with Nextdoor. They take precautions on invites, neighborhoods you live in, and names. Yet, it's one of the messiest of clusterfucks.

javajosh 6y ago

It's always easier to destroy than to create, and computers are great amplifiers of ideas; it makes sense then that as ideas become more common, more of them would be destructive.

volkk 6y ago

That's a solid point and I wonder if the reason is simply because of the way its marketed and the initial userbase that sort of paved the way for the rest of the app. When I hear of nextdoor, I simply think of local Karens screaming about kids being too loud outside. Sure, there are some decent conversations happening too, but mostly its got that vibe. It's not really touted as a "lets chat about anything" tool, mostly just local neighborhood gossip (at least where I live, and I live in a "cool/hip" neighborhood, can't imagine how bad it is in the suburbs).

snapetom 6y ago
It's terrible at least in my burbs. The cynic in me thinks that Nextdoor is just proof that the fundamental thing that makes social media terrible - being a megaphone for egos, pettiness, and narcism - are not overcome by real identities and scope. In my group, there are people that like to stir the pot, and then there are people that love reacting to the stir.
unexpected 6y ago
NextDoor is the way it is because they don't do any content moderation at NextDoor HQ - they depend on local "Leads" to do the work. Unfortunately, this model doesn't work. The same person that wants run your HOA and drive you crazy is the same person that becomes a Lead. Once one Lead gets in, only they themselves can promote another person to Lead. In my neighborhood, we had one thoughtful Lead, and one insane Lead. The thoughtful lead carefully deliberated about adding more Leads, while the insane Lead picked her cronies - and then eventually "overthrew" the thoughtful Lead. NextDoor has terrible content moderation and no penalties for infringing users. It's absolutely vile, amplifying the most minority of opinions with no consequences.
- snapetom 6y ago
  Huh, the moderation issues are one problem with it and now when you put it that way, sounds an awful lot like the moderation system of reddit. And we know how great that is. /s
  - unexpected 6y ago
    Sure, but at least on reddit, if you don't like a moderation style, you can set up a competing sub-reddit r/fitness to r/advancedfitness, or r/weightlifting to r/powerbuilding to r/bodybuidling to r/naturalbodybuilding - the opportunities are endless. No such alternative exists on NextDoor. Don't like the content or moderators? Your only choice is stop participating. I have no idea why NextDoor thinks that is good for their business model. Over time the site will just be populated with Karens.

scottlocklin 6y ago

Nextdoor is one of the best things on the internet. Easily the most constructive large scale BBS type things I've seen since early craigslist. If yours is nuts: it's because the people around you suck. I'm as misanthropic as they come, but the people around me are fucking great. I'll admit it was awful when I lived in Berkeley, but so were the people around me.

throwaway4715 6y ago
"It's because the people around you suck." Isn't that the core problem with all social media? If people didn't suck we wouldn't be having this discussion about facebook.
- scottlocklin 6y ago
  FB is terrible as it puts your aunt Mabel, your 3rd collitch GF, some guy you bought weed off of in HS, and some dude you met at an industry mixer together with 100 of your closest pals and lets them fling poop at each other. You can quit; I did. Don't miss it! Nextdoor is great; lets me know what the neighbors are doing and helps me pick out great local services. Some dudes above pointed out you need some common interest for it to work: being a good neighbor counts as a common interest!
pnw_hazor 6y ago
Same. My nextdoor is pretty chill. No one talks politics too busy saving lost pets, recommending handymen and landscapers, and such, I guess.