Role and Risks of the Digital Economy for Russia’s Development

The purpose of this paper is to study necessary conditions for the development of digital economy in the country and also provide an analysis of the existing risks. Currently, as a result of the introduction of computer technologies, digitalization and integration of all business processes of economic systems, new risks and threats arise which require additional research and development of methods for their regulation. The main factor of success in the digital economy is not technologies themselves, but models for the management of these technologies, allowing them to solve the problems of the state and business. In the paper there is the analysis of the “Digital Economy” program what is now a priority in the economic development of the country. In the evaluations of the project a number of theoretical and practical drawbacks of technological and practical type have been identified, which seriously impede the fundamentals of digital economy functioning. The available options are offered in order to improve the existing mechanism of the analysis of the digital economy market. The level of digital economy development in the Southern Federal District and also the main directions of digital technologies development abroad, in particular in the UK, which is the leader among European countries in terms of the digital economy development, are studied. The necessity of the development of directions, both in economy and in the informational sphere has been suggested including the measures against cyber offenses as a result of which the confidential data and trade secrets are viewed. The article suggests possible scenarios for the digital economy development in Russia, taking into account current legal issues. A phased model for the development of digital business has been proposed which implies a full integration between all internal organizational processes and elements of value chains.