and announcements of such information, causing an “overaction” in the cost to the
rural sector.
In 2001 the internet as we know it today was still in its infancy. Social media
platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were less prevalent than they are today.
Moving in a way as to counter the poor information sharing that the government
offered, many took to creating their websites to keep others updated with the
ongoing disaster. We have already seen Eric Wolsey’s website, no -vacancies.com
and how it became a source of information for hoteliers around the Lake District.
Although the website domain has unfortunately expired, an excerpt of an email from
Worsley to the web page subscribers can be seen in figure. 1. This email details two
things. Firstly, it acts as a source of information for other hoteliers’ regarding the
government's promised financial support to the sector. But secondly and perhaps
more significantly, it serves as a platform for those affected by FMD to share their
feelings and opinions on either the official response to FMD or their hardships and
struggles. So emerged the use of the Internet as a form of community action to come
together in the fight against FMD and express feelings and opinions, such as those
surrounding the ongoing debate on vaccination and MAFF’s handling of the disaster.
Many different sites were set up in the wake of FMD. Sites such as footandmouthdoc.com 28 were social and cultural documentary projects featuring artists and farmers' poetry and photography. 29 Cullmaff.com 30 became a tool for those in affected communities to express their demands and viewpoints against the culling policy. 31 The website also drew attention away from FMD being purely an economic disaster. It drew attention to the damage culling was having upon Britain's tourism sector and its public image abroad. 32 The use of the internet in this way
shows the power of it as a tool to help fuel community action and help to bring
communities together in times of crisis and helps shed light on how the internet, in its
28 Expired web domain. 29 Hillyard, Sam, ‘CULL MAFF! THE MOBILISATION OF THE FARMING COMMUNITY DURING THE 2001 FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) EPIDEMIC’ in, Returning (to) Communities Theory, Culture and Political Practice of the Communal ed. By, Herbrechter, Stefan, and Michael Higgins, (Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006) p.333. 30 Expired web domain.
31 Ibid. 32 Ibid.
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