Ethnic traditions in communication space

The article analyzes ethnic traditions and methods of ethnic identity formation, among which the author underlines means and methods of communication space. The article proves the efficiency of the Internet and social networks impact on the ethnic identity. In the article B. Anderson's work is taken as the basis, it is devoted to the study of «imagined community». The main features of the communication space and the virtual field are analyzed. Due to this «imagined community» the process of ethnic identity virtualization takes place, and it is actively promoted by various technical means, development of information technologies and software. Every day facing a huge information flow through various technical means, the representative of one or another ethnos continually is exposed to: whether it is a publication about the history of his native land, landscape pictures in social networks or comments by the participants of the Internet-communities. In the author’s opinion, the communication space helps in the formation of not only ethnic, but also regional identity, promotes common cultural values that are typical for the peoples of the region and create the common information space and the «imagined community».