Russian Youth in the Context of the Challenges and Threats of the Information Society

The article examines the impact on the youth of Russia of the information (digital) society, which represents a new social structure based on the intensive development of information and communication technologies and ideological narratives that characterize the information society as a world of freedom, democracy and progress, which are global in nature. The purpose of the study is to analyze the degree to which young people differ from other groups of Russian society, their exposure to various types of negative impact from the information society, as well as the availability of necessary protective mechanisms to withstand such an impact in the context of Russia’s confrontation with Western countries. Conclusions. Analyzing empirical data, the author comes to the conclusion that young people really differ from other groups of Russian society in the degree of immersion in digital communication, which determines their digital socialization. Through cybercommunications, young people are exposed to negative influences, some of which are characterized by the author as challenges, and the other part as threats. Young people do not have mechanisms for resilience to digital challenges, and they do not have protection from threats. Despite the geopolitical conflict between Russia and the West, a significant part of young people are still trapped by ideological ideas about the security and progress of the global digital communications society.