Особливості кримінально-правової оцінки публічних закликів та розповсюдження матеріалів у соціальних мережах

The article examines the criminal and legal aspects of using social networks to spread information containing calls to commit socially dangerous actions, and the role of such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and others in the modern information space. Social networks have become an important tool for communication, business and civic engagement, allowing millions of people around the world to interact, create communities, share ideas and information. However, in addition to advantages, they carry threats, in particular, they contribute to the spread of misinformation and manipulation, which negatively affect public opinion and political processes. The main focus of the article is on analyzing how users’ interaction with content through the functions of «likes» and «reposts» can contribute to the spread of illegal information. Reposting, as a direct action, allows content to be shared quickly and efficiently with other users, expanding its reach, while «liking» can prompt social media algorithms to show that content to a larger audience. Of particular interest is the question of whether these actions can be considered sufficient to bring criminal responsibility for the dissemination of calls to illegal actions. The article provides examples of court decisions in Ukraine and other countries where «like» is considered as a way of spreading information. In some cases, European courts recognize a like as a form of approval and dissemination of information, which leads to legal liability. However, Ukrainian jurisprudence on this issue remains ambiguous, which requires further research. The scientific article is aimed at determining the criteria of criminal responsibility for the actions of users in social networks related to the spread of illegal information, as well as researching the technical aspects of the algorithms of the platforms. The authors emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to the legal assessment of user interaction with content, which should take into account not only the content of the information, but also the algorithms of its distribution.