The article analyzes the communicative problems associated with the active use of the Internet in modern society. The results of the study based on the ethnographic approach using the method of written interview are presented. Three main aspects of the problem being studied are identified: partial loss of effective communication skills, due to the fact that when communicating on the Internet, the interlocutors are less responsible for their actions, and the social needs of the person are not fully met; substitution of the concept of "friendship" in connection with the ritualization of a number of actions constituting friendly communication and relations; reduced ability to critical perception of information and analytical thinking in connection with the constant availability of information, the decline in the quality of training. Based on the interviews with students, the hypothesis is confirmed that the Internet can be viewed as a social and communicative problem.