YOUTUBE-BLOGGERS AS LEADERS OF PUBLIC OPINION OF YOUTH: NEW TECHNOLOGIES OF IDENTITY FORMATION IN VIRTUAL SPACE

Gigauri David I., Gutorov Vladimir A., Shirinyants Aleksandr A.

Annotation

The mechanisms of the formation of value systems and civil identity in the virtual space are considered. The relevance of such studies is due to the weak elaboration of the problems of symbolic politics implemented in the Internet space. The multi-stage structure of social communication and the role of opinion leaders in constructing of political agenda, as well as the video blogosphere as an instrument of civic mobilization are analyzed. The study of the formation of virtual identity in the conditions of informatization of societies makes it possible to form a number of conclusions indicating that: 1) the traditional ways of consolidating national communities and political groups, are undergoing transformation under the influence of widespread daily communication flows; 2) group solidarity and a set of value meanings are in constant threat of change, since there is a contradiction between the set of social values declared in the official ideological discourse of the state and real needs and the public consciousness of civil society; 3) youth associations and young people themselves, as the most politically active social group, are prone to critical rethinking of the concepts and ideologies broadcast by the government and the state; 4) there is a need to improve the level of representation of the activities of state actors in order to build effective communication between civil society and the government.

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