Is Nextdoor Discriminating Against Me?
After writing my other posts today, I came across something that changed the conversation.
Nextdoor published a new Insights report today:
New Nextdoor Insights Report: How Neighbors Approach Financial Advising and Investing
And at the bottom?
Nextdoor tells readers who want the full report with detailed data, additional audience segments, and strategic recommendations to contact Jacob Chavis, Customer Analytics & Insights Manager.
Yes.
This is the same Jacob Chavis I've been trying to get a study from for 64 days.
So I'm going to use a word I haven't used throughout this experience:
Discrimination.
To be clear, I'm not stating that Nextdoor has engaged in unlawful discrimination.
I'm asking whether I'm being treated differently, why, and whether that differential treatment could raise more serious questions.
For weeks, I've considered other explanations.
Maybe Jacob's responsibilities changed.
Maybe Nextdoor stopped publishing these studies.
Maybe Insights was on pause.
Maybe Jacob wasn't the appropriate contact anymore.
Today's publication makes those explanations much harder for me to reconcile.
Nextdoor is publicly saying:
Want detailed research? Contact Jacob Chavis.
Well...
I did.
Sixty-four days ago.
And again.
And again.
I've also contacted Nirav Tolia, Sarah Leary, Investor Relations, Communications, and others.
Still no substantive answer.
So I think it's fair to ask:
Am I specifically being treated differently?
And if I am:
Why?
Is it because I'm publicly critical of Nextdoor?
Because I'm a shareholder asking uncomfortable questions?
Because I've challenged its moderation model?
Because I've questioned leadership?
Has someone internally decided not to engage with me?
Or is there another explanation?
I don't know.
Different treatment doesn't automatically constitute unlawful discrimination. I'm not making that allegation.
But when Nextdoor publicly invites people to contact Jacob for detailed research, while my comparable request has remained unanswered for 64 days, I believe that asking about differential or discriminatory treatment is reasonable.
Let Me Play Devil's Advocate
Someone could look at my emails, posts, tags, comments, and follow-ups and say:
"Niel, maybe they think you're contacting them too much."
Fair question.
I'm persistent. I'm publicly documenting my experience and following up on this.
But persistence and criticism aren't automatically harassment.
I'm not threatening anyone. I'm not advocating violence. I'm not seeking anyone's private information. I'm asking questions about a publicly traded company, its leadership, policies, research, and my experience as a shareholder.
If Nextdoor believes my communications have crossed a boundary, please let me know.
"We're declining your request."
"Direct future inquiries here."
Even:
"We will not engage further."
That's still communication.
Instead, I'm left wondering whether Nextdoor has deliberately decided not to communicate with me.
And I'd ask every business, advertiser, news organization, government agency, and partner working with Nextdoor to consider something:
Today it's me. Could you eventually find yourself on the other side?
What happens when your experience doesn't match the corporate messaging?
What happens when you ask an uncomfortable question?
What happens when your company needs information Nextdoor publicly says is available—and suddenly nobody responds?
Partnerships aren't just about reach, impressions, WAU, and revenue.
They're also about the organization you choose to do business with and how it behaves when the conversation becomes uncomfortable.
So I'll ask Nextdoor directly:
Has Nextdoor decided not to respond specifically to me?
If yes, why?
If no, how does Nextdoor explain 64 days without a response while publicly directing others to Jacob Chavis for detailed research?
Earlier today, I was asking where Jacob was.
Then Nextdoor answered part of that question.
Apparently, he's exactly where I've been told to look all along.
Now I'd like Nextdoor to answer the rest.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. I'd genuinely like to hear your perspective.
