The COST Action FP0905 Experiences on the Web: Web 2.0 and Scientific Dissemination

Forms of communication have evolved over time with increasing speeds reaching the present form of the dynamic Web 2.0 with the emergence of communities, social networks (i.e., Facebook, Twitter), wikis, etc. The internet is no longer just a means of information and use of content for daily use, but it has become part of everyday life , changing our behavior and consequently the way we think. For spreading information relevant to this COST Action FP0905, the website (http://​www.​cost-action-fp0905.​eu/​) was set up to provide communication between participants of the Action, and to disseminate the activities, knowledge, and technology produced beyond the COST Action network. The principal aims of the website were to provide a database of the main information on genetically modified trees (GMTs) and to update the website with science based information of public interest on GMTs related to the activities within the Action. Therefore, Web 2.0 technologies were used to support the aims of the COST Action, with specific positive (YouTube and Twitter) but sometimes also negative communication experiences (i.e., hacker’s attacks) of the Action, which are reported.