A hyperlocal website is to ‘reconsider’ its use of social media after its Facebook page was hit by a temporary ban.

The Leicester Gazette’s was told its Facebook account had been “permanently suspended” last week before the tech giant reinstated it, blaming an “error” on their part.

The ban, which came two days before last week’s local elections, has caused the Gazette to examine its future use of social media.

It now plans to launch a new membership drive with the aim of raising £8,000 to enable it to “forge a future free of the scourge of big tech.”

The Gazette said in an editorial: “Facebook is our second-largest source of social referral traffic after Reddit. Although we have significant traffic from non-social sources, we rely on social platforms to connect with our audiences, particularly marginalised communities.

“But we cannot ignore Facebook’s ongoing assault against publishers. Numerous outlets around the world, including those in the UK, US, and Europe, have had posts linking to their websites removed after being flagged as spam.

“It’s not just Meta – X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, removed features that allowed users to report misleading information shortly after he bought the platform, leading to a surge in misinformation.

“This whole situation underscores big tech’s ongoing campaign against public interest journalism, threatening a free press amid global misinformation and political instability.”

The Gazette said it had now laid down “three pillars” in its social media strategy – exploring alternative ways to connect with readers, avoid isolating marginalised groups, and giving zero financial support.

It added: “We want to avoid financially supporting these platforms whenever possible. They profit from our presence by selling ads and using our data, typically without our consent. We will never place paid ads.

“On Monday 12 May, we will launch a membership drive and campaign to increase our capacity to achieve these goals – with your support.

“We hope to raise around £8,000 to keep our reporters on the ground, engaging with the local community, listening to your stories, and forging a future free from the scourge of big tech.”