Sofya Chmukh: Digital Protection Begins With Human Awareness

The II Global Digital Forum will take place from Oct. 8 to 10 at the Mechta venue in Moscow’s Gorky Park. Sofya Chmukh, a PR and government relations expert specializing in crisis communications and reputation management and a producer of social projects, told IT Russia why online protection begins with people and how the Moshennik, davay, do svidaniya! (Scammer, Bye-Bye!) project is helping combat phone scams.

– Digital sovereignty begins not only with technology and infrastructure. It begins with the architect – the person who understands how the digital environment works, how it is built and how to navigate it. We still do not have an established culture of communication or rules of conduct online, although we should have started thinking about this long ago. We leave a digital footprint every day, every hour and every minute. And it includes not only what people publish under their own names but also mentions on social media, comments both by and about them, media coverage, and even the accounts they follow and the people who follow them.

That is why we need to talk about digital and psychological hygiene with everyone – children and adults alike. This skill has no gender, age, religion or nationality. Everyone should understand the consequences their actions online can have and how to handle the information they receive. I support introducing a separate course on digital and psychological hygiene in schools, universities and online. It should address behavioral and psychological aspects alongside working with information and fact-checking.

Today, it is critically important not simply to teach people to distinguish an obvious fake from an obvious truth, but to develop the habit of pausing, thinking critically, asking questions, checking sources and not treating the first widely circulated message they encounter as unquestionable truth.

“This is especially important now, as the digital environment becomes broader and more complex and emotional reactions are increasingly used to influence people. Fear – and the shame that may follow – can make it harder to critically assess what is happening, something scammers actively exploit. Technological safeguards therefore need to be complemented by psychological maturity, media literacy and the ability to independently verify information. People need to develop a new skill: ‘not being afraid to be afraid.

At the same time, the digital environment is not just a source of risks. It gives people new opportunities, and they need to use them consciously. The more information surrounds us every day, the more important it becomes to retain the ability to check things independently, analyze the facts presented and take responsibility for our own reactions and actions.

One of the social initiatives I became actively involved in a little over six months ago puts people, rather than technology, at its core. It is a large, honest, deeply human and very complex project with a simple and very telling name: Moshennik, davay, do svidaniya!

Technologically, a great deal has been done in our country. A great deal. But few ordinary people know about it. And we are not competing with technology. Quite the opposite – technology matters, but without people it cannot reach its full potential. A system can detect a signal, but it cannot hear the anxiety in someone’s voice. Only another person can do that.

The idea behind the project is to create a hub for cybersecurity and the fight against phone scams that is updated daily, almost in real time. It combines monitoring and information sharing with identifying vulnerabilities, gathering feedback and direct engagement with the community. We add to technical tools what they need to be as effective as possible – a human layer. Because digital protection begins with human awareness. Cybersecurity awareness starts not with IT, but with real conversations and a willingness to step in when something is going wrong around you.

We have created a space where people can come together: learn about scam schemes, understand how to protect themselves, find out about technical safeguards and read real stories from real people. They can also become part of a community where they can ask questions and seek help. Because another person is the best antivirus against scammers.

We fully agree that society should approach cybersecurity the same way it approaches financial literacy, and that digital hygiene and digital safety should become basic skills for everyone.

I’m sharing the link to the website and Telegram channel. Join us if this matters to you. And yes, I’ll say it again: every silence means a thousand new victims. Every word is a chance to save someone. Together, we are definitely stronger!