Personal ideology as a barrier and resource in the political mobilization of the digital generation

In the context of rapid digitalization of society, the so-called digital generation is being formed - young people born and living «with a gadget in their hands». Active use of the Internet and social networks changes the forms and strategies of their political participation. At the same time, each representative of this generation builds their own system of beliefs and principles, called personal or personal ideology. This is a system of individual values and meanings that answer the questions «who am I», «why do I live», «what is good and evil», which can contribute to political involvement, or, on the contrary, act as a restraining factor. On the one hand, when personal ideology includes values that are in tune with the needs of the group, it itself becomes a powerful resource for mobilization. As studies have shown, protest activity is primarily shown by those whose personal views go beyond the ordinary and resonate with the majority. Personal beliefs and «philosophy of life» act as a resource that connects people through social networks and forms alternative political practices. On the other hand, an individualized belief system hinders broad unification, and young people prefer personalized information consumption and echo chambers rather than a common ideological field. In the long term, it is important to take these factors into account when developing youth policy. The digital generation can only be effectively mobilized by targeting topics that are consistent with their values and using self-organization tools. At the same time, it is necessary to overcome barriers to passivity, convincing young people that collective action can influence decisions, and combining social initiatives with individual goals, showing how participation in the community can become part of personal development.