“Digital trust” vs “distrust” in the formation of social relations and practices of glocal society

Introduction. The individual’s application of established social practices in the digital environment faces certain difficulties caused by the wide opportunities for “honest” and “dishonest” behavior on the Internet. The high level of trust in digital technologies and the possibility of manipulating personal data, the desire to rely on “expert opinion” and unreliable information, the social need for communication and the illusion of communication in social networks, as well as other dilemmas of relationships in the digital world and operating with big data create a sense of uncertainty, instability and disunity in the perception of digital reality. The purpose of the article is to identify social and ethical aspects of trust phenomenon as an attitude of consciousness, obstacles to digital trust and identify ways to develop it. Materials and Methods. The interdisciplinary approach based on ethics of information technology, sociology, and communication theory allows us to analyze the formation of new social practices and interpret the development of a person’s value attitude to new realities of life. Research result. The following areas of actualization of the concept of “trust” in the digital world are identified as trust in data and algorithms, trust in “digital subject”, “Internet of trust” as a space of obligations and rules. The formation of the “Internet of trust” is associated with awareness of all social, moral and psychological problems associated with the process of combining online and offline environments in the social practice of an individual, where new forms of applying traditional standards of behavior should be found. Discussion and Conclusion. Postponing the rational risk analysis of digital interaction by an individual “for later” provokes the creation of situations that are critical for the individual’s well-being and security. The costs of digital trust are reduced security and creation of “traps” in public relations and social practices. Digital environment creates a situation of vulnerability of an individual, which encourages him to resort to possible measures of protection. In turn, the “Internet of trust” as a new digital reality is absolutely necessary for the effective functioning and further development of society.