Il Sisma sulla Grande Rete: l'evoluzione dell'utilizzo di Internet in relazione ad eventi sismici di rilievo

Abstract

In 1997, the telematic infrastructure of Italy was mature enough to allow for routine use of electronic mail and the Internet for the exchange and dissemination of data, information and news. For the first time after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, on the occasion of the Umbria-Marche seismic sequence, seismological research centres found themselves experimenting with this new medium to communicate not only within the scientific community, but also outside of it, to the news agencies and to the general public. Global Internet archiving projects like the Wayback Machine and thorough policies of preservation and maintenance of web pages allow us to still access to the information that was published in those days. After ten years, the evolution of information and communication technologies has enormously increased the abilities to acquire and process data and disseminate information. Several web-applications are now available to be informed about a seismic event or to provide information. Nevertheless, technology is only one of the factors that enable information processes, and we have to take into consideration quality criteria and good practices that can improve accessibility of web contents.