from Hacker News

Nextdoor: A neighborhood social network that is being used to fight crime

by dglassan on 12/27/12, 8:19 AM with 8 comments

• by wtracy on 12/27/12, 11:16 AM

  I actually got an advertisement in my mail for Nextdoor. I followed the instructions and plugged in my zipcode on their website. It told me that nobody had organized a group for my neighborhood, and that I could either start one myself, or sign up to be notified when someone else did.

  Maybe I should have put my email address on the "waiting list", but at that point I just closed my browser and moved on.

• by rckrd on 12/27/12, 9:42 AM

  Reminds me of a previous HN submission: http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/12/07/local-police-po...

  I think the key is using this technique on already established social networks. This seems like it would only target those who have actually had crimes committed against them: I'm not going to be browsing Nextdoor if nothing has happened to me.

• by dglassan on 12/27/12, 10:11 AM

  This has the potential to be a great example of software making a real difference. I'd never heard about nextdoor until a few days ago when my parents of all people told me how great it was and that they had heard on nextdoor of a series of break ins around our neighborhood. I've now heard greats things about nextdoor multiple times from different people since then

• by danboarder on 12/27/12, 9:37 AM

  Nextdoor is an example of more practical/useful local social networking. Social apps/sites can serve greater needs than selling coupon deals and ads, and I hope we see more user-focused development like this (as opposed to advertiser-focussed development).

• by sixQuarks on 12/27/12, 9:38 AM

  I have a feeling Nextdoor is going to be huge.

• by qbrass on 12/27/12, 11:19 AM

  Sounds like something I'd monitor if I were going to rob a neighborhood.