The article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at studying the features of virtual political participation of modern Russian youth. The author's technique for diagnosing virtual political participation, developed on the basis of a cognitive approach to political behaviour, is described. The relationship between the characteristics of media use, the socio-political participation of young people and their political beliefs are revealed. The assumption is tested that the peculiarities of interaction of young people with media resources are determined by the abilities and skills of working with information – respondents with a high level of media competence are more active in introducing themselves to the virtual political agenda and expressing their own position in the online space, while less media competent people deliberately distance themselves from expanding the information base related to politics and have specific political beliefs. It was found that the preference for certain types of virtual political participation is associated with subjective ideas about the nature of political processes, as well as the level of media competence.