Integration of the Internet into social reality of contemporary Russian youth: current situation and potential consequences

Abstract

The unusual speed of distribution of Internet in the life of Russian society made circumstances of growing up of contemporary young Russians very specific. Growing up in the conditions of rapid spread of Internet in the society, many of them are accustomed to perceiving the Internet as a natural and inalienable attribute of everyday reality. It is obvious that such a specific experience of growing could make their attitudes and behaviour specific. But the diagnosis of this specific requires a special sociological research. The author uses the materials of secondary data analysis and data of his own sociological research among Russian youth to identify the role of the Internet in social reality of young people and to clarify possible risks and opportunities that can be created by it. The empirical basis of the study is a questionnaire survey conducted by the authors in 2019 among the youth of the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia (N = 314, quota gender and age sample among the youth of 14-24 years old). The key conclusion of the paper is that the Internet is deeply integrated into social reality of contemporary Russian youth. The most of young people got used to spending a lot of time in the Internet and cannot imagine their life without it. The increasing importance of the Internet in their lives is a source of several risks, which include forming of Internet-addiction, rise of vulnerability of young people to the destructive content and forming of the communicative gap between representatives of different generations. But such importance of the Internet in social reality of young people also provides some opportunities. The Internet can be used for broadcasting of information for youth audience, for organizing of cooperation of young people, for popularization of positive practices and for other purposes.