Key Takeaways
A short, friendly notice with big effects
Nextdoor is updating its main rules for neighbours in the European Union from 1 January 2026.
Four key documents
The changes cover the member agreement, the privacy policy, the cookie policy, and the business terms for local businesses that use the platform.
Clearer words about data
The company says the new texts explain better how it uses information about people who are not members and how optional features work.
Silent agreement through use
If people keep using Nextdoor after 1 January 2026, this will count as agreement to the new rules.
Why this matters
These changes sit inside a wider story about strong privacy law in the European Union and about how everyday online tools must fit that law.
Story & Details
A local app with new legal clothes
Nextdoor is a social network built around neighbourhoods. People use it to share local news, look for lost pets, ask for help, and support small shops. The service started in the United States (North America) and is now active in several countries, including the Netherlands (Europe) and Ireland (Europe), where a main European office is based.
In late 2025, many neighbours in Europe received a short, warm message from Nextdoor. The message greeted them as neighbours and then moved quickly to the core news: important rules are changing on 1 January 2026. The note pointed to new versions of four key documents and said they will apply to people in the European Union from that date.
What is changing in simple words
The first document is the member agreement. This is the basic contract between a neighbour and the service. It says who can join, how the platform can be used, and what may happen if the rules are broken. For example, it can explain how the company responds to harmful posts or to repeated misuse of the platform.
The second document is the privacy policy. This text describes what personal data is collected, why it is collected, how long it is kept, and with whom it may be shared. It also explains what rights people have over their data, such as the right to see it, correct it, or ask for it to be deleted.
The third document is the cookie policy. Cookies are small data files that help a site remember things like language choices or login status and can also be used to show personalised adverts. The cookie policy explains which cookies are used and how they can be managed.
The fourth set of rules concerns business services. These rules apply when a shop, service provider, or other organisation uses Nextdoor to reach local people. They describe what a business can and cannot do with its account and how advertising and local promotions should follow the platform’s standards.
New focus on people who are not members
One of the most important points in the message is about “non-member information”. This is data about people who do not have a Nextdoor account but still appear in some way. This can happen when someone uploads a contact list that includes neighbours who never joined the platform, or when people talk about local figures by name in posts.
European privacy law says that this kind of information is also personal data. For that reason, Nextdoor says that the updated privacy policy now explains more clearly how such data is collected, stored, and used. It also links this explanation to “optional features”, such as extra tools that people may choose to turn on inside the app. These optional tools can create more data flows, so the rules try to spell out what happens when they are used.
The date that changes everything
The message sets a clear date: 1 January 2026. From that day on, the new versions of the member agreement, privacy policy, cookie policy, and business terms will apply to neighbours in the European Union. The date sits shortly ahead in time, because the current moment is December 2025. This means the change has been announced in advance, and there is still time to read and think about it.
The note also explains how agreement works. It says that if people continue to use the service from 1 January 2026 onward, that ongoing use will count as acceptance of the new rules. There is no need to sign a paper contract. The act of logging in, posting, or browsing after that date is treated as a “yes” to the updated terms.
Law in the background: strong privacy rules
Behind this message stands a large legal structure. The General Data Protection Regulation, often called GDPR, is the main privacy law for the European Union. It says that companies must tell people, in clear language, what they do with personal data. It also sets limits on how long data can be kept and on the ways it can be shared.
Under GDPR, people have rights. They can ask to see their data, to fix errors in it, to delete some of it, and in some cases to object to certain types of use. Organisations must have a valid reason to process personal data, such as a contract, a legal duty, or clear consent. These rules apply to platforms like Nextdoor when they deal with people who live in the European Union, even if the main company base is in another country.
Another piece of law, often called the e-privacy rules, deals with online tracking and cookies. It explains when cookies can be used without consent and when clear agreement is needed, especially for advertising tools. This is why cookie banners and settings now appear so often on websites.
The message from Nextdoor reflects these legal duties. By adding clearer explanations about data on non-members and about optional features, the company shows that it is trying to line up its words with what the law expects.
A short address line with meaning
Near the end of the message, there is an office address in Cork, Ireland (Europe). This is not just a formality. Many large digital companies choose Ireland (Europe) as their main base inside the European Union. As a result, the Irish data protection authority often leads important cases under GDPR, especially when they involve cross-border services. The address also underlines that this notice is not just a friendly update; it is a formal message that the company says is required by law.
Simple steps for neighbours
For a person using Nextdoor in the Netherlands (Europe) or any other European Union country, the main question is what to do now. The changes are still ahead, so there is space for a calm look.
A gentle path can be very simple:
- Take a few minutes to skim the headings of the new privacy policy and member agreement, especially those about sharing data, adverts, and non-member information.
- Open the privacy settings inside the app and see who can see the profile, posts, and contact details. Small changes here can make a big difference to comfort.
- Remember that rights under GDPR apply. If something feels unclear or worrying, it is possible to ask for more detail or to request changes to stored data.
A tiny language note can also help. In Dutch, the word “buurt” is often used for neighbourhood, and “buur” for neighbour. Thinking in terms of “buurt” and “buur” can be a quiet reminder that the data in an app is closely linked to real streets, homes, and people just outside the front door.
Conclusions
A short note, a real choice
The short message from Nextdoor may look routine, but it marks a real change. From 1 January 2026, the rules that shape how local online life works on this platform will be new. The update highlights how information about both members and non-members is handled and how optional features fit into that picture.
Quiet attention instead of noise
There is no need for panic or long legal study. A little attention now goes a long way. Reading the main points of the new policies, checking a few settings, and keeping basic data rights in mind can help ensure that life on Nextdoor still feels like life on a friendly street corner rather than an unknown data space.
Selected References
[1] Nextdoor – Privacy Policy 2026
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Privacy-Policy-2026?language=en_US
[2] Nextdoor – EU Member Agreement 2026
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Member-Agreement-EU-2026?language=en_US
[3] Nextdoor – Business Services Terms EU 2026
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Business-Services-Terms-EU-2026?language=en_US
[4] Nextdoor – Privacy Notices for the European Union and United Kingdom
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Privacy-Notices-EU-and-UK-2026?language=en_US
[5] Council of the European Union – The General Data Protection Regulation
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/data-protection-regulation/
[6] Business.gov.nl (Government of the Netherlands) – How to make your business GDPR compliant
https://business.gov.nl/running-your-business/legal-matters/how-to-make-your-business-gdpr-compliant/
[7] Nextdoor – Privacy and safety on Nextdoor
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/privacy-and-safety-on-nextdoor?language=en_US
[8] European Commission – The EU’s new data protection rules for businesses (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxZZcc1C_nQ
Appendix
Business services terms
Business services terms are the special rules that apply when a shop, service provider, or other organisation uses Nextdoor to reach local people. They cover how business accounts should behave, how adverts and offers can appear, and what limits apply to this kind of activity.
Cookie policy
A cookie policy is a short document that explains which data files a website or app places on a device, why they are used, how long they stay there, and how they can be controlled or turned off by the user.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation is the main privacy law for the European Union. It sets strong rules on how personal data may be collected, used, shared, and stored, and it gives people rights to see, change, and in some cases delete their data.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a social platform built around local neighbourhoods. It lets people who live near each other share news, offers, requests for help, and information about local services and events.
Non-member information
Non-member information is personal data about people who do not have an account on a service but still appear in contact lists, posts, replies, or other parts of the platform.
Privacy policy
A privacy policy is a public explanation of how an organisation handles personal data. It describes what is collected, why, where it is stored, how long it is kept, when it is shared, and what rights people have over it.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 