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Philadelphia Teaming Up With Social Network To Connect With Residents

By KYW social media editor Melony Roy

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The private social network known as "Nextdoor" will become a communications vehicle for the city of Philadelphia.

More than 17,000 Philadelphia residents are already using the network to share information about community events, safety issues and even lost pets. But now, the city of Philadelphia wants to join the conversation.

"For example, the office of emergency management will be using Nextdoor to work with residents to better prepare for and respond to and recover from emergency situations," says managing director Richard Negrin. "It gives neighbors an easy way to connect about the things that matter most in their communities. The neighborhoods create and self mange private networks that are accessible only to those residents in that neighborhood"

Co-founder Sarah Leary says neighborhoods establish and manage their own group page:

"Over the course of the last three years, citizens have started over 283 neighborhoods across this city."

All members must verify that they live within the neighborhood before joining.

Nextdoor is free for residents, in the app stores and at NextDoor.com.

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