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Don’t believe everything you read on Nextdoor, especially when it comes to politics

caption: Homes on Mercer Island are shown on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, in Seattle.
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Homes on Mercer Island are shown on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

The social media platform Nextdoor is meant to connect neighbors on a hyperlocal level. It's a space to discuss local goods and services, and share information.

But reporter Eli Sanders says during a Mercer Island City Council election, the platform was used to spread misinformation about a candidate. And that's not the only time it's happened.

When you scroll through the social media platform Nextdoor, you might see posts advertising home goods for sale, or asking for recommendations for a local dog sitter. But you also might see warnings of dangerous people in the area, or threatening events.

None of these posts have been fact checked. It's impossible to know if the person posting is actually from the neighborhood.

In his new piece for The Atlantic, Seattle journalist Eli Sanders writes that Nextdoor stands out among other social media platforms for having a big moderation problem.

Listen to the full story by hitting the play button above.

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