Types of Citizen Appeals and the Realities of a Digital Society

The relevance of this research stems from the rapid development of digital technologies, which are significantly transforming the forms of interaction between citizens and public authorities. In the context of digital transformation, it is important to understand how new communication tools affect the implementation of the constitutional right to appeal. The growth of electronic forms of citizen participation requires timely adaptation of legal regulation and a reconsideration of the state’s role in digital communication. The article examines the types of citizen appeals to public authorities in the context of a digital society and analyzes the digitalization processes impact on the implementation of the constitutional right of citizens to appeal. The purpose of the study is to classify citizen appeals and characterize the changes in the institution of appeals under the influence of modern information and communication technologies. The main method of research is formal legal (dogmatic), used in the study of normative legal acts (primarily the Federal Law on Citizen Appeals) and official explanations. Additionally, the system-structural approach is applied (for the typology and classification of appeals), and the comparative legal method is used – in terms of studying the experience of implementing the right to appeal in electronic form in other states. Results: The article concludes that electronic appeals have a positive potential (including electronic petitions via online platforms and appeals through the government services portal) for enhancing the openness and effectiveness of dialogue between government representatives and society. It also identifies issues requiring solutions, including the regulatory framework for collective appeals, ensuring information security, and considering the interests of citizens who lack access to electronic services. The main findings indicate that digital transformation empowers citizens in exercising their right to appeal, while simultaneously posing a challenge for the state to adapt its legal mechanisms and infrastructure to the realities of e-democracy.