Digital sociology: capabilities, risks and prospects

Abstract

The subject of this article is theoretical provisions of the new scientific field – digital sociology, developed by the leading foreign and Russian experts in the area of sociology, anthropology, public administration, as well as political, social and information technologies (K. Michael, R. Clark, M. Fourcade, K. Healy, L. Manovich, L. Sloan, J. Morgan). Along with theoretical positions, the author examines the results of empirical research in the area of digital sociology, acquired by the representatives of government structures, corporations, medical institutions, and secret services (K. Garattini, E. M. Chereshnev, G. Greenwald, and C. Sunstein). Leaning on the texts that are unfamiliar to Russian audience, the authors explore the theoretical positions of digital sociology, determine its object field, methodological capabilities, identify risks and boundaries, as well as outline the prospects for future development. The article analyzes the current trends in the area of cyborgization and chipping of humans, and assesses the risks of utilization of digital tools to controlling citizens in real and virtual environments. It is demonstrated that the interface and software of modern technologies pattern and determine reality. The authors reveal the methods used by a number of secret services in foreign countries that control and manipulate discussions in the social networks. The approaches of the theoreticians of sociology – J. Bentham, M. Foucault, and B. Latour are being adapted to the context of research. The authors also assess methodological traps related to big data analysis, and propose the ways for increasing validity of the results of research, obtained using the methods of digital sociology.