Watch CBS News

Neighbors Can Connect Through Social Network At San Jose's National Night Out BBQ

SAN JOSE (KCBS)--Tuesday night's National Night Out BBQ in San Jose is an opportunity for for neighbors to connect, but this time around they'll also have an opportunity to check out a new social network specifically designed to connect neighbors.

It's called NextDoor, a form of social media that has been described as the Facebook of connecting neighborhoods.

San Jose City Councilmember Rose Herrera is encouraging residents in her district to sign up for the social network , which unlike Facebook, is controlled by the neighborhoods.

But Nirav Tolia, the CEO of NextDoor, said neighborhood residents decide who can communicate with them and individuals that join have to be verified before neighbors can connect with one another.

The San Francisco start up boasts 4,000 communities already active on the site. But convincing folks to sign up for yet another social network may be difficult.

KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:

Rosemary Baez in San Jose said she was probably not likely to sign up for another social network site.

"There's too many types of social media out there I don't see the need for another," Baez said.

She agrees there is a need for more neighborhood connections but doesn't think social media is the answer.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.