New Zealand's biggest news outlet is quitting Facebook. Stuff, the publisher of Stuff.co.nz, has announced it is quitting the social media platform in a trial "inspired by principle". The announcement has been made amid criticism of Facebook and an ad boycott that has been extending around the world in recent times. As part of an internal memo, Stuff told its staff of its plan to cease all all activity on Facebook and Instagram, which is a subsidiary of the social networking platform. Around 953,000 people follow Stuff's account on Facebook, while Stuff's Instagram has around 134,000 followers. The decision follows a host of big-name brands, such as Coca-Cola, Ford, and the North Face, confirming a boycott of Facebook in relation to its efforts to clamp down on misinformation. Last week, Sir Nick Clegg defended Facebook as hundreds of advertisers boycotted the social network. The vice-president of global affairs and communications at Facebook penned an open letter after more than 150 companies announced they were refusing to advertise with them during July. He wrote: "When content falls short of being classified as hate speech - or of our other policies aimed at preventing harm or voter suppression - we err on the side of free expression because, ultimately, the best way to counter hurtful, divisive, offensive speech, is more speech. "With so much content posted every day, rooting out the hate is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
