Facebook is shutting down its Nextdoor clone, Neighborhoods. The community-based feature, quietly tested across Canada and the US since 2020, will close on Oct. 1.
Social media consultant Matt Navarra first spotted the news; he tweeted a screenshotted message from a Facebook Group announcing plans to wind down the trial product.
"When we launched Neighborhoods, our mission was to bring local communities closer together, and we've learned the best way to do this is through groups," according to a Meta product manager named Tohm. "We will be … ending our test of Neighborhoods on October 1, at which point the feature will no longer be available."
When the pandemic forced people inside and online, Facebook made a push for online community interactions, including the introduction of Facebook Campus for undergraduates, Messenger Rooms with video chat, couples-only Tunes, and Neighborhoods.
Folks were encouraged to create personal profiles—visible only to other residents in a chosen neighborhood—and share things like interests and favorite local haunts. Outsiders could see only a name, profile, and cover photos. Early reports also tipped dedicated privacy options and the possibility of more hyperlocal ads.
Ultimately, Neighborhoods didn't take off the way Meta hoped, and, more than two years later, will be retired for good.
"We know that a lot of the moderators in this group were also admins of their own thriving local groups, and we look forward to bringing you more ways to grow and engage within these communities in the future," the company message said, pointing users toward the facebook.com/community page as "inspiration."