Typology of Internet Users in Russia Based on the Goals and Motives of Online Activity

The study of the characteristics of the Russian internet space has become particularly relevant in recent years due to the growing number of internet users and the ongoing expansion of opportunities for utilitarian, leisure, and business activities online. At the same time, the broadening range of online possibilities intensifies differences among users, shaped by social, economic, demographic, and other factors. This paper analyzes the most common types of online activity in Russia and attempts to develop a typology of internet users based on their purposes for using the internet. The identified clusters are described and compared according to socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and social profiles of various user types are presented. Based on theoretical analysis, the study concludes that the concept of Internet practices remains underdeveloped in sociological science. In empirical studies, it is often reduced to the goal-oriented aspect of online activity. The analysis of data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey – HSE made it possible to identify a three-component typology of internet users in Russia: utilitarian, functional, and universal.