Digital threats as a challenge to the public contract between the state and society in the Russian Federation

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the Russian state in the context of rapid digitalization. It introduces and substantiates the concept of “Meta-Russia” – a specific digital space where national interests are realized and a new virtual statehood is formed. The paper examines five fundamentally new threats challenging traditional state monopolies. These include the global nature of networks, the devaluation of legislative regulation in favor of software code, the loss of the “monopoly on secrecy”, the emergence of isolated “digital ghettos”, and the growing influence of “digital barons”. It examines how these phenomena are redefining institutions of power, the social contract, and national sovereignty, creating new risks for social stability and security. It is argued that the answer to these challenges lies in a transition to a hybrid control model based on the symbiosis of state institutions and technological platforms. Maintaining national sovereignty requires not only technological solutions but also a thorough social mapping of the virtual environment and the updating of the social contract.

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