I received an email from the Jeffco Sheriff that they are promoting the use of the site nextdoor.com "to facilitate virtual neighborhood watch and foster neighbor-to-neighbor communications."
I see on the site that there are some established neighborhoods in the area - Kings Valley, Burland, Buffalo Creek to name a few. Are there any folks out there who use their neighborhood sites? Is it doing some good? Do you feel that your privacy is adequately protected? I'm just a little paranoid of "social network" sites...don't use Facebook, etc. because of privacy concerns...but I can see some potential good in this.
My sister loves it. It is like a neighborhood version of this website and Facebook. They also link up with other nearby neighborhoods. Plus the police and local government will post info like crime in the area or upcoming road construction.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
I got the same e-mail this afternoon. I know my neighbors and I make it a point to stay in touch with them when I'm on the road. I place a lot of value in knowing who my neighbors are and being able to trust them, I hope they feel the same about me.
I guess the JCSO thinks that an e-mail advertising a new platform for social media will bring neighbors together, even if it's only on line. Who knows, maybe neighbors will engage each other more and the idea will help prevent some crimes.
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him; better take a closer look at the American Indian." - Henry Ford
Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges; When the Republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous. - Publius Cornelius Tacitus
I'm on it for my neighborhood and I find it almost completely useless, though some of that is due to the fact that I live in a neighborhood which doesn't have many online users. It was sold as a way to tell your neighbors you lost your pet, or there's a garage sale down the street this weekend, to connect with neighbors online, or for local gov'ts to share press releases and important info; essentially everything this website and others in the area already do.
There is no anonymity in signing up - you MUST provide your real name AND proof of residence in order to join your neighborhood group, the neighborhood groups are very narrowly defined (by NextDoor.com, which is based in San Fran) and can only minimally interact with nearby neighborhoods (ie Kings Valley will never see updates from Burland and vice versa - for the mountain areas, in terms of emergencies, that's not well designed) and they don't allow businesses or nonprofits to participate so it's people and gov't entities only - I personally find that very limiting in terms of a true online community. Not to be biased or anything.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
I think I'll pass for now. I don't like the idea of having to give my name and address to register. We talk to our neighbors face-to-face regularly (imagine that!). While I can see some value in it I think the privacy risks outweigh that value, particularly since we have multiple community sites here anyway.
Talking to your immediate neighbors is good, but how do you keep in touch with the people who live in your neighborhood blocks away?
What do you think of the enhanced 911, or whatever it's called, where you fill out computer form for your address to aid 911 responses? Questions include names of people in the house, medical conditions, medications, animals in the house, names etc. Jeffco has it. I'm no so sure about Park. The idea is first responders have information in hand when called to your home, saving a lot of time and giving them needed info for medical conditions.
Don't you have to wonder why Jeffco SO is promoting this, and why they are doing an email campaign? Why do they have your email address? I did not get the email, but I am pretty sure Jeffco knows pretty much all about me, not very impressive stuff.
