"SOFT POWER" AND MECHANISMS OF IDEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE IN THE DIGITAL SPACE

this thesis analyzes the evolution of the concept of soft power (soft power) in digital space and its role in modern mechanisms of ideological influence. The paper examines cultural, informational, and value-based influence strategies employed by states and non-state actors through social media platforms. New forms of ideological influence are revealed, formed through algorithmic mediation, digital diplomacy, and platform ecosystems. The article analyzes the manifestations of soft power in the COVID-19 infodemic, the Russian-Ukrainian information war, and the K-pop industry.