Racism has no place on Nextdoor.

We do encourage neighborly discussions about racial justice and anti-racism efforts. We believe strong and resilient communities should feel safe, welcoming, and inclusive for neighbors of all backgrounds. That’s the world we at Nextdoor want to help build.

So how can neighborhoods drive positive change while standing united against racism? Here are some resources to help spark local conversations and actions.


Nextdoor’s racism & discrimination prevention efforts

Beyond our policies, we employ strategies & tactics to make Nextdoor welcoming for everyone. See timely updates on how we’re aligning intentions with action in our commitment to diverse communities on Nextdoor’s anti-racism updates page.

We partner with experts

Our Neighborhood Vitality Advisory Board helps us foster healthy and productive conversations online and offline. This group of diverse academics and experts brings us important insights from the fields of social psychology, equality, and civic engagement. They advise Nextdoor on the best ways to support thriving communities and build deeper connections between neighbors while preventing racial profiling.

We stand by our guidelines & moderation

Our Community Guidelines are the foundation of Nextdoor and set the standards for interacting on the platform in a productive and civil manner. These guidelines explicitly forbid racism, and we use both human moderators and proprietary technology to make sure that rule is enforced.

Additionally, we train our content moderators to recognize racial bias and respond quickly and effectively. This training includes an online anti-bias course as well as tools and resources for inclusive moderation. To develop these materials and ensure they’re effective, Nextdoor partnered with The New Quo – a leadership consultancy that uses science to build more inclusive communities. After completing the course, >95% of participants indicated they would take action when they encounter scenarios of tone policing, racial profiling, and coded language. Find more about our inclusive moderation resources and our moderating biased posts toolkit.

We stand in solidarity with Black neighbors

As a company, Nextdoor supports the Black Lives Matter movement. All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter content is explicitly prohibited when used to undermine racial equality or the Black Lives Matter movement. Support for White Lives Matter is prohibited on Nextdoor. Learn more about our commitment to support Black neighbors.

We use technology to fight bias

Since 2015, we have partnered with Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt, a social psychologist and the author of Biased, to better understand how Nextdoor can mitigate implicit bias – i.e. unconscious forms of prejudice that influence our actions. We found that adding some friction to the posting process helps slow people down and consider their own implicit bias. We also developed a new feature called the kindness reminder, which automatically flags offensive or hurtful comments and encourages the author to be more kind and thoughtful when they post. Ultimately, these tactics have led to a 75% decrease in racial profiling on the app.

We took this one step further with the launch of the anti-racism notification that detects language that could be specifically discriminatory to people of color. The notification detects potentially racist phrases such as “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter,” and prompts the author to consider editing their post or comment before it goes live. The anti-racism notification aims to make people aware of language that may violate our policy against discrimination and the harm that can be caused by the use of these phrases.

We also removed our ‘Forward to Police’ feature, which allowed neighbors to forward their safety posts to local law enforcement agencies. We believe this will help make our platform a place where all feel welcome.

Listen, learn, act.

What is unconscious bias?

Understand how bias perpetuates racism in relationships and communities.
UCSF

How to disrupt racial bias

Learn how creating points of friction can help actively interrupt and address bias.
TED Talk by Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt

White Privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack by Peggy McIntosh

Acknowledge the impact of privilege to dismantle white supremacy.
Racialequitytools.org

Nextdoor’s racism, discrimination,
& hate speech policies

We have a strict policy against racism, discrimination, and hate speech of any kind. We are committed to removing any content (posts, comments, profile photos) or behavior that violates this policy. Furthermore, members who engage in this behavior will be subject to temporary or permanent removal from Nextdoor. Learn more about our policies and how Nextdoor users can help make their communities more inclusive, both online and offline:

How to leverage awareness to prevent discrimination as a Nextdoor user

Before posting something that could be interpreted as racist or discriminatory, ask yourself:

1. How would you feel if someone directed this statement at you personally, your child, parent, or significant other?
2. Is this a statement or point of view that you would share at work, in your place of worship, or in a city meeting?
3. Would you state your comment in person to the individual or group of people you are referring to?

Please behave the same way on Nextdoor that you would in these face-to-face conversations with people you care about. Our goal is to create and enhance community!

How to take action against racism and discrimination as a Nextdoor user

If you see a post or comment that you believe is discriminatory or racist in nature, please follow these steps to report it. If you see a post from a neighbor whose behavior is discriminatory or racist, please follow these steps to report the individual.

What constitutes a violation of Nextdoor’s racism, discrimination, & hate speech policies?

This behavior includes, but is not limited to racism, discrimination, insults, hate speech, violence, threats, and targeting marginalized communities. Learn more about these policies here.

Building belonging in a time of othering

Watch this video to understand the steps towards racial healing.
Dr. John A Powell, Director of UC Berkeley’s Center For Othering and Belonging

Understanding intent vs. impact

Learn the importance of prioritizing impact over intent and centering the needs of those most vulnerable.
Diverse City, LLC

How Nextdoor addresses racial bias

Watch Jennifer L. Eberhardt, a social psychologist at Stanford University and the author of Biased, talk about efforts to eliminate bias from neighborhood conversations.
Aspen Institute

More resources

Prepare for the conversations

How to be mindful in interactions with others. We all could do and be better! Learn how to be more inclusive and unbiased in daily interactions — online and in real life.

Have conversations

How to discuss in a constructive way. Spark productive discussions about race with friends, families and neighbors.

How to address racist conversations. Respond to racist conversations that may surface online or in real life.

Take action

How to make a difference in your neighborhood. Move beyond conversation and take action steps to combat systemic racism.

How to build inclusive communities. Create open, inclusive environments for neighborhoods and workplaces. Connect with others to combat racism and build welcoming communities.

How to get support and take care of yourself. Get resources needed to support mental health and wellness.

How to support local Black-owned businesses and organizations. Advocate for the businesses and organizations that strengthen your neighborhood.

Nextdoor resources


These resources were edited by the Anti-Racism Daily, a daily newsletter that reports on current events related to racism and offers ways for the community to take action. Learn more and subscribe at antiracismdaily.com.