Digital Transformation of Public Administration: Communication Mechanisms, Ethical Challenges and Regulation

In the context of society’s digital transformation, there is a growing need for effective public administration capable of addressing the challenges of a dynamic information environment. Digital technologies are radically changing the nature of communication between the state and citizens — one-way models of information dissemination are giving way to a multi-directional feedback system operating in real time. In such an environment, communications become not only a tool for policy transmission but also a foundation for the development of digital participation, interactive governance, and democratic dialogue. At the same time, there is an urgent need to adapt institutional structures and regulatory frameworks to the new realities of the digital environment. Existing management models, built on outdated bureaucratic principles, often fail to account for the high pace of technological change, complicating the implementation of policies related to openness, transparency, and accountability. In many cases, digital communication tools are used fragmentarily, without systematic integration into the overall management logic. Particularly pressing are issues related to information security, personal data protection, ethical regulation of digital practices, and the safeguarding of citizens’ rights in the digital space. The rapid spread of open data and mass data collection and processing tools creates new risks that existing regulatory acts do not always manage to address in time. There is also an uneven development of digital infrastructure across regions, which leads to asymmetry in access to electronic services and information. An additional challenge is the varying level of digital competence among government bodies, which hinders the effective implementation of digital communication strategies and results in fragmented management decisions. Often, there is a lack of internal readiness within state institutions for open dialogue in the digital environment, undermining citizens’ trust and reducing policy effectiveness. All of this necessitates a comprehensive analysis of current models of digital interaction in public administration, the improvement of institutional and digital communication mechanisms, the establishment of clear regulatory guidelines, and the development of new strategic approaches to regulating digital interaction between the state and civil society. Particular attention must be paid to integrating technical, legal, and managerial tools to achieve integrity, resilience, and fairness in digital governance.