Abstract
Introduction. Practices of social bots are becoming more diverse, bots are used in politics, economics, culture, health care, education, etc. In this connection, the need to analyze this new digital technology for disseminating information by various social actors, pursuing different social goals (both destructive and constructive) has been mainstreamed. The authors focus on chatbots used by volunteer organizations to expand their social influence. The paper realizes the following objectives: it considers the innovative experience of using chatbots in the volunteer movement of a number of foreign countries, and also analyzes the use of chatbots by Russian volunteer organizations for the first time.Methodology and sources. The authors developed and applied a methodology for analyzing the structure and functions of chatbots by the following parameters: 1) the purpose of the chatbot; 2) the functions that it performs; 3) external characteristics of the bot; 4) the procedure for starting the bot; 5) the platform on which it operates; 6) the productivity of its activities.Results and discussion. The results of a comparative study of five identified bots according to these parameters showed that the goals of creating chatbots in the volunteer sphere of Russian charitable and non-profit organizations are determined by their functions. There were identified three main functions: fundraising; informing; recruiting. The external characteristics and launch procedures of the chatbots in question differ depending on the specificity of the platforms on which they operate (Telegram, Facebook Messenger, VKontakte). As a possible discussion, the authors consider such problems as further developing the typology of social bots, the prospect of using chatbots for Russian volunteer organizations, the development of parameters for evaluating the effectiveness of chatbots in the volunteer movement and adjusting their functioning.Conclusion. According to the results of the study, the authors conclude that the study of the field of application of “benign” bots is an extremely relevant, but poorly understood problem in modern science. In the paper, on the basis of studies carried out by foreign researchers (S. Savage, A. Monroy-Hernandez, T. Höllerer, K. Starbird, L. Palen), the productivity of such bots in the field of volunteering was shown, as well as the productive experience of similar digital technologies (in particular, chatbots) in the Russian volunteer movement was analyzed for the first time.
Highlights
Practices of social bots are becoming more diverse, bots are used in politics, economics, culture, health care, education, etc
The authors focus on chatbots used by volunteer organizations to expand their social influence
The paper realizes the following objectives: it considers the innovative experience of using chatbots in the volunteer movement of a number of foreign countries, and analyzes the use of chatbots by Russian volunteer organizations for the first time
Summary
Practices of social bots are becoming more diverse, bots are used in politics, economics, culture, health care, education, etc. Авторы данного исследования постарались учесть этот факт и при изучении чат-ботов в волонтерской деятельности рассмотрели широкую линейку платформ, на которых функционируют чат-боты: «ВКонтакте», Telegram, Facebook Messenger, автономные сайты. С помощью поисковых запросов на платформах социальных сетей «ВКонтакте», Telegram, Facebook со страниц личных аккаунтов были обнаружены чат-боты, с которыми авторы исследования вступили в диалог, следуя инструкциям в описании чат-ботов. В результате проведенного исследования по авторской методике были выявлены следующие чат-боты, используемые в российском волонтерском движении: @tdnewsbot благотворительного фонда «Нужна Помощь», @AistenokBot региональной общественной организации «Аистенок», @tutryadom bot Центра системной поддержки людей с расстройствами аутистического спектра «Антон тут рядом», чат-бот «Вера Васильевна» благотворительного фонда «Старость в радость», чат-бот «Индекс уязвимости» благотворительной организации «Ночлежка». Перспективы анализируемой темы авторы связывают с исследованиями по уточнению типологии ботов, а также роли, перспектив и параметров эффективности использования чат-ботов как одной из новейших цифровых технологий для развития волонтерского движения в современном российском обществе
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