Abstract
Introduction. Access to information, digital products and services contributes to reducing barriers in individual's interaction with state, organizations, and other individuals, also providing opportunities for human development. The author assesses the digital inequality level of the constituent entities of the Ural Federal District.
Materials and methods. Theoretically, the research is based on the concept of three levels of digital inequality, according to which inequality can be manifested at the level of access to Internet and information and communication technologies; at the level of the users' digital skills and competencies; at the level of benefits obtained from the use of digital technologies and impacting individual life chances. The materials used are: statistical data of the Russian information society development monitoring, research on the digital literacy of the Russian population, conducted by the Analytical Center of the National Agency for Financial Research, the Russian Association of Electronic Communications, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation and the National Research University “Higher School of Economics”, as well as the results of an expert survey conducted by the author in 2023 with state civil servants of the Sverdlovsk region and employees of “Electronic government operator”, the state budgetary institution of the Sverdlovsk region.
Results. The article reveals the specific features of digital inequality of the entities of the Ural Federal District. The geographical features of the region paradoxically affects the digital inequality level. The more compactly located territories of the Sverdlovsk, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk regions provide for the appropriate infrastructure with better broadband Internet access. A social consequence of low Internet access in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug is, in part, that not all medical organizations can be connected to the Integrated National Health Information System. In addition, there is no direct correlation between Internet access and digital skills development. On the contrary, remoteness and inaccessibility of territories act as drivers for the development of digital competencies of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yugra residents, who are more efficient in using digital technologies in e-commerce and public services. Discussions and conclusions. “Bridging the Digital Divide” federal program implementation will increase the information infrastructure availability. Conscious and focused effort is required to improve digital literacy and cyber hygiene of the population
References
Воробьева И. А., Костерев Р. А. Цифровая коммуникация в структуре цифрового общества // Международный научно-исследовательский журнал. 2022. № 6-4 (120). С. 128-134. DOI: 10.23670/IRJ.2022.120.6.160 EDN: QITFPD
Смирнов А. В. Цифровое общество: теоретическая модель и российская действительность // Мониторинг общественного мнения: экономические и социальные перемены. 2021. № 1 (161). С. 129-153. DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2021.1.1790 EDN: SZLWQF
Ростовская Т. К., Фомина О. Е. Анализ диссертационных исследований по социологии за период 2012-2022 гг. // Вопросы управления. 2023. № 5 (84). С. 67-81. DOI: 10.22394/2304-3369-2023-5-67-81 EDN: JTOHFI
Гладкова А. А., Гарифуллин В. З., Массимо Р. Модель трех уровней цифрового неравенства: современные возможности и ограничения (на примере исследования Республики Татарстан) // Вестник Московского университета. Серия 10: Журналистика. 2019. № 4. С. 41-72. DOI: 10.30547/vestnik.journ.4.2019.4172 EDN: GZLUXO
Костина Н. Б., Чижов А. А. К вопросу о разграничении понятий "цифровой раскол", "цифровое неравенство" и "цифровой разрыв" // Уфимский гуманитарный научный форум. 2022. № 1 (9). С. 56-63. DOI: 10.47309/2713-2358_2022_56_63 EDN: NIZYAB
Банных Г. А., Костина С. Н., Сивоволов Д. Л., Томильцев А. В., Резер Т. М., Чевтаева Н. Г. Цифровизация публичного управления территорий: теория и практика: Монография. Екатеринбург: Уральский федеральный университет имени первого Президента России Б.Н. Ельцина, 2022. 177 с. EDN: KHRTAU
Bell, T., Aubele, J. W., & Perruso, C. (2022). Digital divide issues affecting undergraduates at a hispanic-serving institution during the pandemic: A mixed-methods approach. Education Sciences, 12(2), 115. DOI: 10.3390/educsci12020115 EDN: AXOTPV
Hargittai, E. (2002). Second-Level Digital Divide: Differences in People's Online Skills. First Monday, 7(4). DOI: 10.5210/fm.v7i4.942
Vassilakopoulou, P., & Hustad, E. (2021). Bridging digital divides: A literature review and research agenda for information systems research. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(3), 955-969. DOI: 10.1007/s10796-020-10096-3 EDN: YLLUOA
Каменева Т. Н., Конищева Е. В., Васильева И. Н. Влияние цифровизации на профессиональную и учебную деятельность субъектов образовательного пространства современного вуза // Известия Юго-Западного государственного университета. Серия: Экономика. Социология. Менеджмент. 2023. Т. 13, № 1. С. 158-168. DOI: 10.21869/2223-1552-2023-13-1-158-168 EDN: LZGZXF
Великая Н. М., Гребняк О. В. Развитие человеческого потенциала в условиях цифровой трансформации в современной России // Вопросы управления. 2023. № 2 (81). С. 33-44. DOI: 10.22394/2304-3369-2023-2-33-44 EDN: XWSLDJ
van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & Helsper, E. J. (2015). The Third-Level Digital Divide: Who Benefits Most from Being Online?. In Communication and Information Technologies Annual (pp. 29-52). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. DOI: 10.1108/s2050-206020150000010002
Ragnedda, M., & Kreitem, H. (2018). The three levels of digital divide in East EU countries. World of Media. Journal of Russian Media and Journalism Studies, (1). DOI: 10.30547/worldofmedia.4.2018.1 EDN: YSBXWH
Korovkin, V., Park, A., & Kaganer, E. (2022). Towards conceptualization and quantification of the digital divide. Information, Communication & Society, 26(11), 2268-2303. DOI: 10.1080/1369118x.2022.2085612 EDN: ZHVBXV
Костина С. Н., Новикова О. Н. Цифровое неравенство школьников в условиях дистанционного обучения: кейс Пермского края // Вестник Южно-Уральского государственного университета. Серия: Социально-гуманитарные науки. 2021. Т. 21, № 3. С. 77-86. DOI: 10.14529/ssh210310 EDN: VPYUEX
Литвинцева Г. П., Карелин И. Н. Новые виды цифровых рынков и неравенство в международной торговле // Журнал Сибирского федерального университета. Серия: Гуманитарные науки. 2023. Т. 16, № 10. С. 1837-1845. EDN: NDVNMC
Вартанова Е. Л., Гладкова А. А., Лапин Д. А., Самородова Э. В. Цифровое неравенство в современном коммуникационном пространстве России: Монография. Москва: Московский государственный университет им. М.В. Ломоносова, 2023. 187 с. EDN: HCVBJI
Игонина Е. В., Поваляева О. Н., Котлярова О. А. Цифровая компетентность российских учителей (результаты эмпирического исследования на примере Липецкой области) // Перспективы науки и образования. 2022. № 6 (60). С. 625-643. DOI: 10.32744/pse.2022.6.38 EDN: ZQMXBW
Карасев П. А., Стефанович Д. В. Кибербезопасность критически важной инфраструктуры: новые вызовы // Россия в глобальной политике. 2022. Т. 20, № 6 (118). С. 147-164. DOI: 10.31278/1810-6439-2022-20-6-147-164 EDN: JXMYJX
Vorobyova, I. A., & Kosterev, R. A. (2022). Digital communication in the structure of a digital society. International Research Journal, (6-4), 128-134. DOI: 10.23670/IRJ.2022.120.6.160 EDN: QITFPD
Smirnov, A. V. (2021). Digital society: Theoretical model and Russian reality. Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes, (1), 129-153. DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2021.1.1790 EDN: SZLWQF
Rostovskaya, T. K., & Fomina, O. E. (2023). Analyzing dissertation research in sociology of 2012-2022 period. Management Issues, (5), 67-81. DOI: 10.22394/2304-3369-2023-5-67-81 EDN: JTOHFI
GLADKOVA, A. A., GARIFULLIN, V. Z., & MASSI
MO,R. (2019). Model of three levels of the digitaldi
vide: Current advantages and limitations (as exem
plified by the Republic of Tatarstan). VestnikMoskov
skogo Universiteta. Seriya 10. Zhurnalistika, (4), 41–72. https://doi.org/10.30547/vestnik.journ.4.20
19.4172.
Kostina, N. B., & Chizhov, A. A. (2022). On the issue of distinction between the concepts of "digital gap", "digital inequality" and "digital divide". Ufa Humanitarian Scientific Forum, (1), 56-63. DOI: 10.47309/2713-2358_2022_56_63 EDN: NIZYAB
Bannykh, G. A., Kostina, S. N., Sivovolov, D. L., Tomiltsev, A. V., Rezer, T. M., & Chevtaeva, N. G. (2022). Digitalization of public administration of territories: Theory and practice. Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin. EDN: KHRTAU
Bell, T., Aubele, J. W., & Perruso, C. (2022). Digital divide issues affecting undergraduates at a hispanic-serving institution during the pandemic: A mixed-methods approach. Education Sciences, 12(2), 115. DOI: 10.3390/educsci12020115 EDN: AXOTPV
Hargittai, E. (2002). Second-Level Digital Divide: Differences in People's Online Skills. First Monday, 7(4). DOI: 10.5210/fm.v7i4.942
Vassilakopoulou, P., & Hustad, E. (2021). Bridging digital divides: A literature review and research agenda for information systems research. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(3), 955-969. DOI: 10.1007/s10796-020-10096-3 EDN: YLLUOA
Kameneva, T. N., Konishcheva, E. V., & Vasilyeva, I. N. (2023). The impact of digitalization on the professional and educational activities of the subjects of the educational space of a modern university. Proceedings of the Southwest State University. Series: Economics, Sociology and Management, 13(1), 158-168. DOI: 10.21869/2223-1552-2023-13-1-158-168 EDN: LZGZXF
Velikaya, N. M., & Grebnyak, O. V. (2023). Human potential development in the context of digital transformation in modern Russia. Management Issues, (2), 33-44. DOI: 10.22394/2304-3369-2023-2-33-44 EDN: XWSLDJ
van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & Helsper, E. J. (2015). The Third-Level Digital Divide: Who Benefits Most from Being Online?. In Communication and Information Technologies Annual (pp. 29-52). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. DOI: 10.1108/s2050-206020150000010002
Ragnedda, M., & Kreitem, H. (2018). The three levels of digital divide in East EU countries. World of Media. Journal of Russian Media and Journalism Studies, (1). DOI: 10.30547/worldofmedia.4.2018.1 EDN: YSBXWH
Korovkin, V., Park, A., & Kaganer, E. (2022). Towards conceptualization and quantification of the digital divide. Information, Communication & Society, 26(11), 2268-2303. DOI: 10.1080/1369118x.2022.2085612 EDN: ZHVBXV
Kostina, S. N., & Novikova, O. N. (2021). Digital divide in distance learning: The case of Perm krai. Bulletin of the South Ural State University. Series: Social Sciences and the Humanities, 21(3), 77-86. DOI: 10.14529/ssh210310
Litvintseva, G. P., & Karelin, I. N. (2023). New types of digital markets and inequality in international trade. Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities and Social Sciences, 16(10), 1837-1845. EDN: NDVNMC
Vartanova, E. L., Gladkova, A. A., Lapin, D. A., & Samorodova, E. V. (2023). Digital Inequality in The Modern Communication Space of Russia. Lomonosov Moscow State University. EDN: HCVBJI
Igonina, E. V., Povalyaeva, O. N., & Kotlyarova, O. A. (2022). Digital competence of Russian teachers (results of an empirical study on the example of the Lipetsk region). Perspectives of Science and Education, (6), 625-643. DOI: 10.32744/pse.2022.6.38 EDN: ZQMXBW
Karasev, P. A., & Stefanovich, D. V. (2022). Cybersecurity of the critical infrastructure: New challenges. Rossia v Global'noj Politike, 20(6), 147-164. DOI: 10.31278/1810-6439-2022-20-6-147-164 EDN: JXMYJX

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Management Issues