Digital neighbourhood platforms (DNPs) – also called online neighbourhood networks or neighbourhood social networks – are still a relatively novel phenomenon, and little is known about their actual reach among citizens and about neighbourhood conditions which foster or impede their spread. We consider DNPs as a digital extension of conventional neighbourhood social capital and analyse their spread in comparison with the latter using a recent community survey in two large German cities with a probability sample of 2900 respondents in 139 neighbourhoods. The analysis is guided by the scholarly discussion on the potential of DNPs to reduce current inequalities in the distribution of social capital. The results showed that 18% of respondents in Cologne and 12% of respondents in Essen have used DNPs. Multilevel analyses revealed a strong negative association of neighbourhood ethnic diversity with user rates, in parallel to the same negative effect on conventional neighbourhood social capital. It is therefore reasonable to assume that pre-existing inequalities in social capital are replicated by DNPs. On the individual level, the use of DNPs was less dependent on strong social bonds than on conventional social capital. Comparing respondents who use DNPs to those who do not, the former group proves to be socially more connected, more trusting and more satisfied with their neighbourhoods.

中文翻译：

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数字社区平台在城市社区的不平等传播：社会人口预测因子及其与社区社会资本关系的多层次分析


数字邻里平台 （DNP）——也称为在线邻里网络或邻里社交网络——仍然是一个相对较新的现象，人们对它们在公民中的实际影响力以及促进或阻碍其传播的邻里条件知之甚少。我们将 DNP 视为传统邻里社会资本的数字延伸，并使用最近在德国两个大城市进行的一项社区调查分析其传播情况，该调查的概率样本为 139 个社区的 2900 名受访者。该分析以关于 DNP 减少当前社会资本分配不平等潜力的学术讨论为指导。结果显示，科隆 18% 的受访者和埃森 12% 的受访者都使用了 DNP。多层次分析显示，邻里种族多样性与用户率之间存在很强的负相关关系，同时对传统邻里社会资本也有同样的负面影响。因此，可以合理地假设 DNP 复制了社会资本中先前存在的不平等。在个人层面上，与传统社会资本相比，DNP 的使用对强大社会纽带的依赖程度较低。将使用 DNP 的受访者与不使用 DNP 的受访者进行比较，前者证明他们在社交上联系更紧密，更信任，对社区更满意。