The article deals with the issues of formation of the information society in Russia in the 21st century. The information society is a social system in which the production of goods and services essentially depends on the collection, storage, processing and communication of information. In the information society, the tertiary sphere of services (after agriculture and industry) prevails, where science and education take the leading role. The development of the information society is marked by both a huge positive potential and certain risks that need to be identified, studied and analyzed in due time. The main goal of building the global information society is to improve the lives of people, to create conditions for their highest self-realization. Other particular issues that the Russian Federation is facing in the 21st century are also being considered.