Vocal Voices

May I ask if anyone has had an invitation from, or even joined, Nextdoor . com?
It is a "hyperlocal social networking service for neighbourhoods", and it used to be known in the UK as "Streetlife".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nextdoor

It looks like they are setting a group up locally, and invitations have been put through peoples' doors.

Personally, I can't see that it's going to be that much different in content from the town's public group Facebook page, but it looks as if it operates a bit more like a VV forum, albeit writ extremely small. There are some criticisms about over-excessive moderation and I don't know if that's done at a local or national level, but on the town's FB page, where a post was raised querying it, people are saying "oh yeah I also use it and it's good".

I'm naturally wary, and the clincher for me to ignore it is that you have to register your proper name and address, which is checked, so my usual "Ossie Ostrich, Ostrick Towers, Serengeti National Park" may not, in this instance, pass muster .....

Anyone out there in it, so to speak?

Not me. I even avoid our local Facebook page like the plague, ever since I had a huge barney on there with idiots who thought it a good idea to let off fireworks to thank the NHS! Funnily enough, I was backed up - by a nurse who said they'd woken her up after a long shift!

Far too cliquey, and inward looking for my taste

I actually liked streetlife very useful for formation or getting rid of stuff or you needed help
I was sorry to see it go if you where stuck to get to hospital people offering to help maybe because we are in the sticks here very useful I thought

I liked Streetlife too Saundra, but decided not to sign up to Nextdoor for exactly the same reason you're not keen Ossie. Having to give my real name and exact address is a no no.

I'm on Nextdoor.... You don't have to give your street address; there is a way around it - and I don't mind people knowing my name.

I love it and use it loads. Esp during beginning of lockdown - the number of people offering support, making masks etc was amazing. And what I like is that it's local. I can chose to post things to my immediate neighbourhood (ie only my village) or go the few villages either side.

And there are a number of (esp elderly) users on Nextdoor that won't use Facebook - so a good way to reach out to them

Personally, I'm on both. I post nothing that's super personal (that only gets posted on here); I ignore things that irritate me and just scroll by but generally I've actually made a few personal friends from both sites. I make social media work for me - it doesn't control me.

Thanks, all!

It really does seem like a "Marmite" App ....!