4 ms·
Specifically for the design. I haven't been on it in a year, so my memory is foggy, but the reason I left was the fact that it seems tailor made to amplify the
by ultrarunner 4y ago
Specifically for the design. I haven't been on it in a year, so my memory is foggy, but the reason I left was the fact that it seems tailor made to amplify the most paranoid, antisocial perspectives at the expense of good faith and trust.
The following progression of thought comes to mind: many police departments have a mandatory arrest policy for calls in response to alleged domestic violence. Despite the fact that many neighborhoods are, frankly, boring, plenty of nextdoor users are looking for a chance to interact with the app and contribute to "the greater good." It's easy enough to call the police "just in case," but often there are disastrous results[0] that at minimum include the arrest of one of the partners, regardless of guilt. This kind of mindless see-something-say-something excuse marches us daily toward a speech-chilling antisocial breakdown where all that's left to do is clutch our pearls and cower at the thought of interaction. Nextdoor directly provides a channel for the amplification and praise of this modality of thought. While (I hope) most people reject or ignore it, its continued existence is a net negative for neighborhoods and society.
[0] https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/police-release-video-taken-during-deadly-officer-involved-shooting-in-ahwatukee-foothills https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/police-release-video-taken... -- note that Ahwatukee is a wealthy suburb of Phoenix
- Spooky23 4y agoYeah they changed the default behavior a year or two ago so that if there’s a post in a nearby neighborhood that someone in your neighborhood engages with, it shows up in your feed. The result is that shitposts spread and drive engagement.
- zionic 4y agoI can’t comment specifically with certainty on the internals of their algorithm. What I can say though is I have lost most of the faith I had in moderation systems, their role should be to validate that XYZ is actually your neighbor. Maybe rate limit all posts by geo. Beyond that? Fuck off.
- seattle_spring 4y agoYeah no. National politics have no place in a neighborhood updates app.
- zionic 4y agoMaybe they do, maybe they don’t. Who are you to unilaterally decide that’s the case?