Assessment of the Use of Digital Services for Social and Political Activity by the Residents of the Tyumen Region

Abstract

In recent decades, the forms of social and political participation and interaction between authorities and citizens have expanded due to the development of modern information and communication technologies. According to most scientists, modern technologies will allow citizens to be heard by the authorities, as well as to actively participate in social and political processes. At the same time, the level of demand and the real use of smart technologies by citizens for socio-political activity, in our opinion, largely depend on the level of their information competence and civic-mindedness. The purpose of this study is to assess the demand, analyze the nature and purpose of the use of modern digital services for social and political activity of the residents of the Tyumen region. The article is based on the sociological study conducted in the summer of 2021 through a questionnaire survey of the residents of cities and rural municipal districts in the south of the Tyumen region. The article presents the results of a study on the level of digital competence of the region’s residents, their awareness of the existing “smart” technologies in the country and the region to manifest socio-political activity, as well as the demand for these technologies. The article also presents an analysis of the purpose of the use of electronic services and the specific nature of these forms of interaction between the authority and the population (political, non-political). It was found out that electronic resources are used by 40% of the population to express their civic-mindedness, and they are more often used by respondents with a higher level of information competence. Most residents of the region are at lower levels of political participation, their interaction with the authorities is mainly limited to information sharing. The share of the population with a higher level of participation is small and is represented by members of political parties and public organizations.