FEATURES OF FORMATION AND FUNCTIONING OF NETWORKS
The paper investigates the essential features of the network society, reveals the specifics of the networks functioning, especially their formation. Networks are considered as a dynamically developing social phenomenon, transforming the sphere of social life. Identification of its structure, features of interrelation of factors promotes clarification of its construction, functioning and development essential characteristics. Network is a form of social interaction, which represents a branched form of individuals’ and social groups’ interconnections. Nonlinearity, variability, instability and contradictory functioning of the network leads to a constant transformation of the ways of its elements interaction, modification of the links between them. The result of this process is its constant changeability, loss or replacement of previous forms of existence, the emergence of new networks that meet modern conditions of society development.