colleen x.

I too am having difficulties with Nextdoor, however, I am not willing to completely write off my community yet and have been having a few exchanges with corporate... here' s one...

Amanda,

Then consider this my reaching out to Nextdoor support.

I have been posting on public forums since the 1990's and never in my life have I ever witnessed such heavy handed censorship practices for posts that do not violate any TOU guidelines. Should a community member find the subject matter of a thread not to their liking, they can quietly move on as there are numerous other threads that might interest them. However, we all know this is not always the case. If said member wants to voice their opposition to said subject matter, they can do so, as long as their disagreement meets the guidelines set forth by Nextdoor. "Our Guidelines prohibit posts and replies that discriminate against, attack, insult, shame, bully, or belittle others."

I had very few exchanges on Nexdoor until recently. Near the Memorial holiday, I was drawn in by a thread where the originator was ranting about fireworks. I began my involvement in the discussion by suggesting that tolerance should be exercised. Back and forth this thread went with numerous people in the community posting their thoughts and opinions on the topic. Eventually the heated exchanges turned into offering up helpful options for this veteran who suffers from PTSD and had difficulty listening to fireworks being shot off around her house. However, all of this hard work and input was erased, when a Lead decided to delete the entire thread from existence.

Rarely is there a topic that is not met with either derision or an opposing opinion. As long as posts are not filled with profanities or threaten physical harm to another these posts/exchanges should remain on the public forum. These threads showcase the real heart beat of the community. To engage in practices that remove posts simply because you find the content uncomfortable or because it simply differs from your opinion violates the poster's civil rights. Furthermore, Nextdoor does not simply remove particular posts that possibly violate the TOU guidelines, Nextdoor/Leads removes the entire thread. This is a disservice to the many who contributed to the growth of the thread.

This whole cloth elimination of the 'problem' thread does not bring the community together, Nextdoor's stated goal, "Our mission is to provide a trusted platform where neighbors work together to build stronger, safer, happier communities, all over the world," rather it damages the community on many levels. Should all of these posts be removed from public scrutiny, entire threads, the community will not only stagnate in their growth and acceptance of others who also live in their communities but reinforces the notion that tolerance is not necessary, required or encouraged.

People are not always going to behave rationally or politely simply because Nextdoor eliminated the cloak of anonymity by requiring the use of real names. When people feel passionate about a subject and others rebut them, tempers will flare and exchanges will often times be less than complimentary. And if reasonable voices of the opposition are continued to be silenced, by the wide sweeping Nextdoor policy of whole thread erasure, the mob mentality will only feel strengthened and increase their efforts. This cause and effect is not only predictable, it's easily provable.

The mob mentality seizes upon the removal of such a thread, one that does not share their views as a vote of confidence and a nod to continue their methods. More and more, normally well meaning and rational people get caught up in the heat of the moment and say things they would not say to another's face. This charged atmosphere, fueled with supportive likes, offers them a mechanism and a means to further their agenda of disruption, discourse and intolerance.

In theory, Nextdoor's policy of placing neighborhood volunteers in positions of authority is a good idea, however, it's very flawed. From all that I was able to glean, the Leads are unpaid volunteers who have autonomy authorized by Nextdoor to remove entire boards that they might not 'feel' are appropriate. Even if the contents of the board/posts are within stipulated guidelines, they can on a whim, remove the entire board. A very slap in the face of American values and sacred protections.

"Neighborhood Leads can report content, review and vote to remove reported content, or close discussions that were started in their neighborhood."

Are these leads emotionally equipped, trained or vetted by Nextdoor making them better able to deal with the occasional barrage of complaints by posters because they don't like what's being said? Or are they more often willing to cave into the pressure of the masses baying for blood?

Often times posters tag posts as a violation, encouraging others to follow in their lead if they disagree with the message. Doesn't matter if the post does not violate the guidelines, they simply have to exist in opposition. Does Nextdoor endorse the censorship of citizens who are being respectful yet might have a difference of opinion? Does Nextdoor encourage unidentified LEADS to post contentious comments (ie. Brenda xxxx of Wynbrooke) stoking the fires that already exist? Comments that encourage the loud mouthed tyrannical few?

For that matter, should a lead who has engaged in the discussion be allowed the authority to remove an entire thread because they simply don't agree with what's being said? What of the lead who for example is a realtor, who's very income depends on the community liking them? In a small town such as Louisville, where everybody knows one another, a realtor would suffer the kiss of death should they side with the minority opinion. What of the grandmother who's lived a sheltered life, surrounded by and accepting opinions as fact from friends of hers without searching out the truth? Should these individuals really be put into a position of power, authority over others they might disagree in principle with?

Take some time and review the threads that have been removed and tell me these voices should have been silenced. If there is a particular post or two that you feel are not in compliance with the TOU guidelines, then remove those posts, and those alone. Not the entire thread. If you agree that the Leads were over reaching their powers of authority, I request that these threads be restored so that the community can grow.

Bigotry and intolerance should never be rewarded.