THE PROBLEM OF VULNERABILITY OF RUSSIAN YOUTH TO THE EXTREMISTIC MATERIALS ON THE INTERNET

Abstract

The paper is devoted to clarification of the nature of vulnerability of Russian youth to extremist materials on the Internet. The author notes, that current research practice of using of Internet in the process of distribution of extremist materials among Russian youth is partly limited. Most of the researches focus on the analysis of content of such materials or on the tracking of mechanisms of their distribution, but not on the analysis of underlying reasons for which it becomes possible to replicate them. Basing on the materials of his own research, the author seeks to overcome this ambiguity and tries to identify the key reasons why Russian young people become potentially sensitive to extremist materials on the Internet. The key conclusion of the analysis is that the sensitivity of young people to such materials appears because of modalities of their behavior on the Internet. The remarkable activity in using the Internet and social networks makes them an accessible addressee of the distribution of extremist materials. And at the same time their desire for entertainment and openness increase the sensitivity to the materials of such content.