Civic Internet Activism Of Modern Russian Youth Oninstagram

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the role of social networks, Instagram in particular, in the development of civic engagement and digital democracy. The active spread of civic Internet activism is evidenced by the growth in the number of volunteer movements, “one demand” actions, environmental actions and protest actions, which are also carried out in social networks. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, youth engagement in online civic events is of particular importance. Questions about whether the digital civic activity of young people in social networks reflects the actual socio-political moods, whether it is able to directly or indirectly influence the socio-economic, social and political processes in the country, are of research interest from a pedagogical point of view, as they affect goal setting, content and forms of civic education and upbringing. The empirical material of the study is the hashtags and texts of posts on Instagram, reflecting the attitudes of Russians regarding voting on the issue of approving amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The analysis of digital traces is aimed at identifying sources of information popular with Russian youth, as well as the degree of influence of social networks on the social activity of young people in civil society. The results of the study can be used to develop the conceptual foundations of civic education for students and schoolchildren in the context of information diversity.