Internet charity in Russia: conditions, forms and practices

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of such a phenomenon in modern realities as Internet charity. The authors analyzed the forms of modern charity and its tools in the online reality, as well as considered specific campaigns using digital mechanisms. Charity is considered as a public detail, carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis. The main features are highlighted: the gratuitous basis; the choice of the place, volume and format of assistance; the social orientation of the activity, the subject of which can be either a private person or a legal entity; the non-state nature of the activity with possible state support for campaigns and NGOs. In modern Russian society, charity is not a national tradition. However, today there are a large number of charitable foundations, non-profit organizations, as well as private initiatives on the part of citizens. The virtualization process makes it possible to introduce modern tools and mechanisms into the usual spheres of life, thanks to which most of the processes are simplified and become accessible to a larger number of citizens. The sphere of charity is also no exception. The development of ICT makes it possible to spread information to a larger audience, to mobilize a larger number of stakeholders, and to optimize the donation process. The article deals with cases of charitable activity in the Internet environment, innovative forms of charity, as well as what functions are performed by modern tools of the studied activity. We can say that the Internet charity today acts as a significant and effective resource due to the availability, efficiency, visibility, and scale of the dissemination of socially oriented information.