Risks of accelerated digitalisation of society during the COVID-19 pandemic: a sociological analysis

Authors

Keywords:

digital transformation, pandemic COVID-19, digital divide, factors of the digital divide, technostress
Supporting Agencies
The research was carried out with the support of the Belarusian Republican Foundation for Fundamental Research (grant No. Г21АРМ-020 dated 2021 October 1 «Competitiveness of higher education systems in Armenia and Belarus in the context of accelerating digitalisation processes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic»).

Abstract

The article is devoted to a sociological analysis of the accelerated social digitalisation’s risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The general role of digital technologies in the modern citizen’s life is described, the most sensitive to the impact of accelerated digitalisation areas (labour, lifestyle, interpersonal communication) are highlighted. Based on the results of an empirical study, possible technical, organisational, emotional and psychological difficulties that citizens face in the process of using digital technologies are indicated. In conclusion, generalised risks of accelerated digitalisation are proposed (reformatting of social connections, the emergence of new social inequality dimensions, information overload and dependence on technology).

Author Biography

  • Еlena V. Lebedeva, Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliežnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

    PhD (sociology), docent; associate professor at the department of communication and public relations, faculty of journalism

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Published

2022-09-27

Issue

No. 3 (2022): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Philosophy and Psychology

Section

Social Researches

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How to Cite

[1]
Lebedeva .Е.V. 2022. Risks of accelerated digitalisation of society during the COVID-19 pandemic: a sociological analysis. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Philosophy and Psychology. 3 (Sep. 2022), 49–59.