Facebook’s Next-clone Neighborhoods Coming Soon in Four US Cities

Facebook, which has never seen a social network, cannot copy it, says the Next-clone Neighborhood is now available across Canada. Coming soon for four american cities. According to CnetAmerican locations being targeted are Charlotte, North Carolina; San Diego, California; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; And Newark, New Jersey.

Like Nextoor, Neighborhoods is about corrupting geographically defined groups of users in one place to discuss locally. Facebook says users should be able to get to know neighbors, ask for recommendations for the best coffee shops or locksmiths, and organize local events. Users can also create splinter groups for their own interests.

“You can find lively local Facebook groups about your area, or create your own neighbor-tied groups based on your interests,” blog post. “You can create a Neighborhood Group for local bird spectators, or discuss last night’s game with fellow basketball lovers in your area.”

Picture: Facebook

It is fairly certain that at least some of the activities of these groups will also develop into petty classes, sinister political arguments and outright racism, as we have seen on NexDoor. Facebook has an awful track record when it comes to taking out groups of users. Facebook groups, which allow users to organize around shared interests, have been identified Hot Bed of Un-Moderate Extremism

, Conspiracy theories to nurture everything from white supremacy to anti-vaccine misinformation. It is not at all clear how Facebook can avoid these problems occurring in its new neighborhood.

Only users 18 and older will be allowed to join these groups, where they can create a new profile in their main Facebook account. They can select “interests, favorite places and a bio” in this profile before introducing themselves to the group. People will also be able to take specific roles, reports Cnet, Such as “socializer,” “helper” or “welder.” However, it is not clear what these roles will be or how people will claim them.

Reid Patton, a product manager at Facebook Neighborhoods, told Cnet Each group will have intermediaries to ensure that “people make sure that people are staying within the guidelines and are kind” (this is a quote Cnet Not Patton). But still, it is unclear who these intermediaries are (volunteers? Paid employees?) Or what powers they would have to enforce Facebook’s rules. We’ve reached Facebook with questions and will update this story if we hear more.