Significance of the information technologies phenomenon in mass culture of the 21st century

The phenomenon of information technologies is increasingly influencing human life in the 21st century. It is not without reason that research literature identifies the concept of “post-industrial society” with the concept of “information society”. This is certainly reflected in mass culture, which in the information society keeps pace with the times and undergoes significant changes. The article offers not only a retrospective analysis of the term “mass culture”, but also consideres the current place of mass culture in modern society, where manipulation of public consciousness has become a reality. The authors regard information technologies as a peculiar subject of activities, special attention being paid to the mass media as the “fourth estate”. Information today has turned into a way of the geopolitical struggle, in which the “collective West” is engaged against Russia. It is noted that one of the components of modern mass culture is the phenomenon of information warfare, which is revealed through such neologisms as “fake” and “fake news”, as well as through philosophical-geopolitical, social-psychological, conflictological and linguo-cognitive approaches. The article also discusses the transformative role of information technologies - emergence of new professions and market niches, which existence would be impossible without the ubiquity and usage of the Internet. An example of this is blogging, monetization of which is increasingly turning it from a hobby into an occupation. The authors emphasize commercialization of mass culture, its major focus on entertainment and its accessibility, which can have the most negative consequences of a cognitive nature for the younger generations' mass consciousness.