William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews Editor
UPDATED:
Last week, Cleary’s Notebook News (CNBNews) received notice from Nextdoor Neighbor, the neighborhood‑based social media platform, that our account had been banned. The stated reason: three short snippets of press releases we posted allegedly violated their guidelines.
We immediately appealed. On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Nextdoor issued its final decision:
“Appeal not approved: Account indefinitely suspended.”
No explanation. No citation of a specific rule. No opportunity for correction. Just a permanent ban.
Local Reviewers With the Power to Silence You
Nextdoor relies on local “Reviewers” — ordinary users granted extraordinary authority — to censor posts, remove publishers, and suspend accounts. Because Nextdoor is a privately owned company, it has the legal right to remove anyone it chooses. But the way this ban was handled raises legitimate concerns about bias, personal grudges, and selective enforcement.
Given past incidents — including my wrongful arrest for “trespassing” on Cold Springs School property — it would not surprise me if someone with a long‑standing grievance played a role in pushing this suspension. What strengthens that suspicion is simple: none of the cited posts violated any Nextdoor rule.
The Three “Offending” Posts Were Official Government Press Releases
Each item Nextdoor flagged was a straightforward, factual notice from a government agency:
- A press release from the New Jersey Attorney General regarding a West Deptford police officer.
- A mosquito‑control advisory from the Camden County Mosquito Control Commission.
- A traffic advisory about an I‑676 ramp closure from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
These are routine public‑information releases — the very type of content local news outlets are expected to share.
Nextdoor’s Own Publisher Guidelines Say We Qualify
Nextdoor requires publishers to meet several criteria. CNBNews meets every one:
- We are in good standing with a 20‑year publication history.
- We publish local news daily.
- We maintain a secure website.
- We publicly adhere to the SPJ Code of Ethics.
- We are not a political entity, not a government agency, and not funded by foreign governments.
CNBNews was founded in 2006 by William E. Cleary Sr., former publisher and editor of the Gloucester City News and Camden County Record. Cleary began reporting in 1967 and continues today at age 82. His memoir, FROM PEN TO PAPER, was recently released on Amazon.
In fact, when Nextdoor launched in Gloucester City in 2014, they approached us, asking CNBNews to serve as a Neighborhood Lead and help them build membership. We agreed, circulated their invitation, and helped them grow.
A History of Retaliation in Gloucester City
This is not the first time CNBNews has faced retaliation for publishing uncomfortable truths. In 2023, we were arrested for trespassing at the Cold Springs school. We were also charged with allegedly stealing a broken children’s bench that was sitting in the trash.
Around the time Nextdoor entered Gloucester City, Police Chief George Berglund became enraged over an article we published about his brother. Berglund sent a hostile letter announcing he would no longer provide crime reports or answer questions from CNBNews — a move that harmed residents, not us.
Berglund retired in 2015 and presently works as a security guard at Cold Springs School. His nephew, Brian Morrell, is now the police chief. George is a long-time Democratic councilman.
Given this history, it is difficult to ignore the possibility that personal animosity — not policy — played a role in Nextdoor’s decision.
This Is What Censorship Looks Like
When a platform bans a local news outlet for sharing government press releases, while refusing to cite a single violated guideline, it begins to resemble the behavior of a Third World regime, not a community forum. We were a
Some people in positions of authority are offended when CNBNews prints the truth. We’ve seen it for decades. This ban is simply another feather in our cap — proof that watchdog journalism still matters.
CNBNews is not going anywhere. Our reporting continues daily on our website, Facebook, and Twitter/X.
Thank you, as always, for your unwavering support.
