Criteria of the digital well-being of the population: Current state and problems

The current stage of societal development is inevitably linked to rapid digital transformation, the results of which permeate the economy, governance, and virtually all spheres of life. This confirms the relevance of addressing this issue, expanding the information base, and developing tools for assessing the impact of these new conditions on human life. The paper focuses on the digital well-being of the population, with its aim being the development of methodological approaches for its measurement. The article provides a critical analysis of theoretical and methodological approaches to studying well-being and digital well-being, presents an original assessment methodology based on subjective data, and tests it using data from a 2021 representative survey of the population in the Vologda Region. The novelty of the results is confirmed by the proposal of a new assessment approach and the applied results obtained through its implementation, which expand the regional picture of digital development and allow for comparisons and typologization of regions based on the level of the population's digital well-being. The characteristics of the population's digital well-being in the region are analyzed across types of settlements, levels of education and income, and by gender and age characteristics. Many conclusions regarding the persistence of digital divides and obstacles to achieving well-being in the digital environment are confirmed, and the most vulnerable socio-demographic groups are identified. A significant influence of place of residence and age on digital well-being parameters is shown; other factors are less pronounced and require deeper study. The findings concerning society's acceptance of potential digital risks require separate discussion and research. The practical significance of the results is determined by their potential use for managerial purposes, including the strategic planning for achieving national and regional development goals, and the classification and typology of regions based on digital development characteristics. Furthermore, the availability of information on the population's digital well-being can contribute to enhancing the investment attractiveness of the region's IT sector, developing digital education, introducing high-tech goods and services to the market, and other areas of digital transformation