[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Freecycle: Friends Circle

[bhff02 at aol.com]

I am looking to create a Freecycle group or classified bulletin board for a senior community comprised of several connected buildings each containing one hundred of apartments. The goal is to allow people with too much stuff to share their "treasures" with trusted neighbors. 

I hesitate to pursue a social network approach where people who currently get along have the opportunity develop "enemies" among those they cannot avoid encountering. I am also not looking for a full-time job as moderator. Freecycle and Nextdoor come to mind. I tried Nextdoor as an experiment several years ago and saw it as a platform where would-be adversaries come together to debate petty issues while the moderator looked on helplessly. Maybe that was a local aberration, maybe not.

Freecycle apparently has a "Family Circle" option where you can invite others to join. I know that Freecycle is popular in Lexington; so I would like some opinions. I have no direct experience with Freecycle.

Has anyone tried Freecycle's Family Circle option?
If so, it is easy to moderate? Is it possible to ensure that members are from within your "gated" community. I hate the word "gated", but I want to ensure that members remain safe. Do listings automatically time out or must they be taken down? Do listings get approved by the moderator before going public? What are the unintended consequences of undertaking this initiative?
Any other idea as to how I might pursue this initiative?

Barry Hass


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