PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGNING: CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES REGARD-ING THE REGULATION OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND MEDIA ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Introduction. The article explores the transformation of approaches to regulating issues related to pre-election campaigning within EU legislation, particularly in the context of the accumulation of political content on online platforms. Special attention is given to the principles of the “co-regulation” concept, which envisions cooperation between states and stakeholders – primarily corporations that own and operate such digital resources.

Summary of the main results of the study. An analysis of European experience and leading practices in the field of regulating pre-election campaigning in the modern media environment, combined with data on content consumption structures in Ukraine, enabled the identification of key sectoral-level challenges, including: 1) inadequate transparency in political advertising disseminated via online platforms; 2) lack of effective mechanisms for monitoring the activities of electoral process participants during online campaigning; 3) misuse risks for personal data collected through algorithmic systems; 4) corporate monopoly over the regulation of public relations involving the placement of political and campaign-related content on digital platforms. The study places particular emphasis on the search for a balanced consensus between state and corporate regulation of these relationships, and on the prospects for establishing an effective system of “co-regulation.”

Conclusion. The paper substantiates the directions for improving national electoral legislation in the context of emerging challenges linked to the digitalization of election campaigns. It also proposes a model for cooperation between the state and private legal entities aimed at balancing spheres of influence and aligning internal rules governing campaigning activities on online platforms with Ukrainian legal standards.