Digitalization is positioned as a trend in the future development of modern humanity. Digital technologies create new opportunities for communication, require increasing the level of education, and developing new interaction practices. Digital consciousness and attitudes are being formed, and changes also affect the value system. Digital environment is contradictory in terms of its impact on people. It can both expand the possibilities of their access to the information up to including them in the global space, and narrow the life world of an individual to a minimum, measured by the size of a digital device diagonal. New types of risks are emerging. This primarily concerns young people and their needs to use digital technologies. It is important to identify both the readiness of young people for these changes and the availability of opportunities for implementing new patterns. It is young people who form a digital consciousness and develop other stereotypes and behavioral practices related to interaction and cooperation in networks. The subjects of digital society are being formed. We should note that in large cities the inclusion in the digital environment is faster. However, a great share of young people live in small towns and rural areas, which creates both objective and subjective restrictions for inclusion in the digital space. The interpretation of the digital environment as a new phase of civilization, the main product of which is knowledge, is based on the ideas expressed by its researchers. First of all, these are the ideas of M. Castells and his followers: E. Schmidt, J. Cohen. Among the domestic researchers, we should highlight the views of A.I. Ageev, M.A. Averyanov and other scientists. The purpose of the study is to review the current state of digital competence depending on the spatial distribution of young people in the region and self-assessment of their readiness to live and function in the digital environment. The empirical basis of the work was the results of a survey conducted among the population of the Vologda Oblast on a multi-stage, zoned with quota selection of observation units at the last stage of the sample. The study revealed that young people have significant problems in the process of developing competences required when using the digital space
Keywords
young people, digitalization, subjects of digital society, digital competence