The current stage of world economic and social development is characterized by a significant impact on it digitalization. As a new trend of world social development, which replaced information and computerization, it is characterized by the following: it is based on a digital representation of information that, in the economic and social life of a country and the whole world, leads to higher economic efficiency and better quality life. The comprehensive disclosure of digitalization features as a modern trend in the world development includes the disclosure of the essence of digitalization, the features of digital representation of information, the prerequisites and possible positive consequences of digitalization for Russia, the relationship between digitalization and digital economy, challenges, threats, possible negative consequences and risks of digitalization for Russia, measurement methods the degree of digitalization coverage of a particular country, and also includes a description of the current state and tasks of digitalization for the Russian economy.