San Francisco (AFP)

The ultra local social network Nextdoor, which connects the inhabitants of the same district, suddenly overflows with offers to help each other between neighbors, races to do for the elderly with dogs to walk.

Nextdoor.com saw its number of active daily members jump by 80% in a month, while more than half of the Americans are called to stay at home, with more or less strict containment measures according to the States, to slow down the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

As in China, then in Europe, confined homes turned to digital platforms to stay in touch and have fun. Video calls have exploded on messaging.

Nextdoor allows you to stay in touch with those you no longer see on the street or in the elevator.

"We realize that proximity is more important than anything at the moment," said Sarah Friar, the network's executive director. "We need people who live near us."

Launched in late 2011, the San Francisco-based company now covers 260,000 neighborhoods in 11 countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain ...

- Dog parks -

"I used to have my neighbors give me lemons (from their garden), but now I can rely on them for the races," says Paulina Borsook.

At 66, this American who lives in Monterey Bay, south of Silicon Valley, prefers to go out as little as possible.

"I am really touched by the community spirit, the people who help each other, who shop for each other," she adds.

On the free platform, users share tips - which restaurants offer take-out - or the latest local information - which playground is now prohibited, for example.

With what it takes to anger or annoyance against the measures deemed too strict or the inhabitants considered as disrespectful.

"I am furious and disgusted that the little Hearst dog park has been closed," said a user from Berkeley, a city in the bay of San Francisco, for example.

"It is INCREDIBLE the number of groups drinking and watching the sunset", comments a resident of the same district, about a park. "I've never seen the area so crowded. That's why we're going to get sick!"

Others are taking initiatives to provide some comfort, such as placing rainbow patterns or teddy bears on the windows, facing the street, to amuse the children.

"I'm going to put my Christmas lights back on tomorrow to put some balm in my heart," announces a message about a group from Santa Cruz, on the California coast. "Do like me!"

- "In the same boat" -

Nextdoor promotes mutual aid, food collections for associations and support for local businesses, hard hit by security measures.

On the home page, an interactive map allows members to indicate where they live and the tasks they can complete.

Nextdoor is also used by town halls and government organizations to communicate very local information.

Without counting the contributions of the users.

"People post anecdotes or useful things to know that I don't get anywhere else," says Paulina Borsook.

"And if you write something that makes no sense, the others react. There is really one side, + we are in the same boat +".

The network monitors for disinformation or scam attempts - an easier task than on other platforms, as the registration system verifies that the users are who they say they are, and live in the area indicated.

"When people publish messages, it's under their own name, it empowers them," comments Sarah Friar.

Like Facebook and Twitter, Nextdoor suffers from the loss of advertising revenue due to the economic crisis linked to the coronavirus.

"On the other hand, companies that we didn't know are interested in us now," said the manager.

© 2020 AFP