Spotlight on social media in rural broadband battle

The boom of social media on the internet is being highlighted at the Great Yorkshire Show as part of a campaign to bring broadband connections to rural communities.

The Country Land and Business Association has launched a “Social Media Surgery” to provide practical advice to farmers and other rural residents and businesses to help them navigate online sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The CLA’s president, William Worsley, said: “Ofcom’s first interactive broadband map published last week shows that more than 16 per cent of homes in Yorkshire are unable to receive the Government’s benchmark of two megabits per second.

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Residents and businesses here, along with many other rural communities across the UK, are constrained in the use of social media. If rural areas cannot connect because there is no broadband, they are unable to benefit from new technologies such as Twitter and Facebook.

“The divide will widen, leading to uncompetitive rural businesses and socially-excluded rural communities. The countryside sees the enormous advantages of social media but is frustrated that it cannot play a part.”

The free advice sessions will be running throughout the show’s three days, with one-to-one sessions available at the CLA stand. They are particularly aimed at community groups and small businesses.