Information State in the Context of International Security and Global Identity: Challenges and Prospects

This research aimed to analyse and conceptualise the phenomenon of the information state through the lens of national security and political identity. Accordingly, the study examines contemporary approaches to the concept of the information state within the framework of national security and political identity. The research methodology encompasses analytical modelling of the relationships between information security and political identity and qualitative and quantitative analyses, which identify critical challenges and further evolve the information state concept. The research results demonstrate that the information state plays a significant role in ensuring national security and safeguarding political identity. It has been established that, according to Eurostat data, by 2024, 94.7% of European Union member states had implemented information state standards into their national systems. The study also confirms the challenges and risks associated with information attacks, terrorism, and cybercrime, including using advanced social engineering techniques to manipulate public opinion and compromise critical infrastructure due to vulnerabilities in network protocols and cybersecurity systems. With the proliferation of information technologies, the term “electronic state” has emerged in the academic sphere, though it still lacks a clear definition. The electronic state is a concept that envisions the development of a modern state in such a way that all spheres of public life, including legislation, governance, and the economy, are reflected in an electronic format. The study concludes that the concept of the electronic state is understood as an ontology of state-building and functioning, state governance, and policy. In turn, this ontology encompasses the study of digital government, e-democracy, digital justice, electronic voting technologies, and public oversight in digitalisation. Ultimately, the primary characteristics of an information state include the blurring of territorial boundaries, the provision of information sovereignty both technically and legally, the adequate protection of citizens’ rights through digital mechanisms, and the integration of law into the informatisation process.