DIGITAL SKILLS AND BENEFITS OF USING DIGITAL SERVICES: SIGNS OF TERRITORIAL ASYMMETRY
The article is devoted to the study of population’ digital skills and competencies. The author explores the problems of studying the second and third digital inequality levels, according to the three-level model developed in foreign and domestic literature, studying the purposes of use, the reasons for not using digital services and the Internet, the presence and development of digital skills and their useful application. The analysis was based on sociological data obtained with the author’s participation on the digital population’ skills in the Vologda Oblast, because the available statistical database for studying these aspects is extremely limited. The obtained regional cross-section of data on the use of digital services and the development of digital population’ competencies, as well as the comparisons made with the average data for the Russian regions, are distinguished by their novelty. The regional differences in the goals of using the Internet and the reasons for refusing to use it are analyzed. The analysis of the digital user population’ skills dynamics and their regional differences, self-assessment of the digital skills development. The social advantages of using the Internet in the residents’ opinion have been studied in depth. It was revealed that in Russia there are elements of three digital inequality levels. This phenomenon further study is required.