Digitalization of the socio-cultural sphere: from premonition to the point of bifurcation

The article outlines research directions in the field of social communications and other Sciences of the information cycle related to the current challenges and problems of digitalization of the socio-cultural sphere. The article considers the impact of the events of spring 2020 on the content and progress of digitalization. Scientific tasks are set to study scientific communications, digital culture, distance education, and digital tools of social management. The necessity and nature of multidimensional study and design of digital content is determined. New directions of analysis of the socio-cultural sphere are being outlined.