Social Manipulation of Youth in the Internet Space: Comparison of Russia and the USA

The emergence of humanity into the digital age has led to transformations in societal consciousness and socio-cultural space, thus highlighting the relevance of studying issues of social interaction in virtual reality. Due to pervasive digitization, the phenomenon of social manipulation has also taken on a pervasive character, espe-cially concerning the younger generation, whose life orientations and values are still in the process of for-mation. The article provides a sociological analysis of the concept of youth in the internet space as an object of social manipulation. It identifies the characteristics of the internet space that contribute to the spread of covert control practices in virtual reality. The author develops a theoretical-conceptual model of social manipulation in the internet space, based on which its subjects, goals, channels, and methods are described. The distinctive features of the application of modern technologies for social manipulation of youth in Russia and the USA are revealed.