British social networking website
Streetlife was a British social networking website that linked users together based on the neighbourhood where they live.
Background
Streetlife was developed by entrepreneur and software developer Matt Boyes, after his brother-in-law's new London home had been burgled in 2008 and he had found it awkward to get in contact with his neighbours.[1] Originally called "Streetbook", it was trialed in the London Borough of Wandsworth.[2] Streetlife.com was launched in the rest of the UK on 21 March 2011.[3]
Streetlife received financial investment from newspaper and magazine company Archant, Caffè Nero co-founder Paul Ettinger, and Friends Reunited founder Steve Pankhurst, amongst others. By 2013, they had raised £1.4 million investment and Archant's media connections were used to re-market the website.[4]
By 2015, Streetlife claimed to have a million members,[5] doubling its size over the first six months of the year, and covering 4,000 communities across the UK.[6]
In February 2017, Streetlife was purchased by US firm Nextdoor.[7] Streetlife sent an email to its members recommending they transfer to Nextdoor. It announced Streetlife would be closed at the end of the month.[8] However, Nextdoor's different privacy policy has provoked anger and serious safety concerns amongst some former Streetlife users.[8][9]
References
