Infocommunication technologies for public opinion management

The article is devoted to the study of the influence of information technologies on the formation of public opinion. Models of information perception in a digital society are characterized by non-linearity and are formed as a result of network interactions. The images of reality formed in the mass consciousness of the participants of the network society can be described within the framework of an interdisciplinary approach that takes into account both the opposition of the ancient archetypes of «friend» and «stranger», and the modern decision-making model based on the UML language. The existing digital means of controlling the dissemination of information have a significant impact on the formation of dominant social values and attitudes. The article discusses the technologies of manipulating public consciousness, as well as two main types of strategies used in building social identity using information technologies: rejection (alienation) and empathy. The study of the mechanisms of rejection and empathy formation in the process of social identity formation is useful for developing new practices of coordinating interests for the stability of democratic institutions in the new digital reality.