Conceptualizing design parameters of online neighborhood social networks

Online neighborhood social networks (ONSNs) represent an emerging phenomenon among a growing number of niche social networks. These platforms afford users the ability to engage in activities such social interaction with neighbors, sharing of information on local issues or neighborhood volunteering and exhibit promising effects, including improved relationships between neighbors and an increase in neighborly communication. Despite the mounting popularity of platforms such as Nextdoor or nebenan, extant research on ONSNs remains scarce. In this paper, we aim to alleviate this research gap by developing a conceptually and empirically validated taxonomy of ONSNs with a particular focus on their differentiating design properties. We further leverage this taxonomy to derive four distinct archetypes of ONSNs based on a cluster analysis. With our research we provide a first and structured overview on the domain of ONSNs and support researchers and practitioners in analyzing, designing and selecting ONSNs.