Document Type : scientific research paper
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Technological developments in recent decades have made digital platforms one of the most effective tools in the global economy, social interactions, and national security. However, if not properly regulated, they can create major challenges in the areas of national sovereignty, privacy violations, the spread of fake news, and monopolization. Using library studies and adopting an analytical method with a comparative approach, this article analyzes the regulation of digital platforms in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States, as a technology pioneer and home to many major platforms, has imposed strict policies on interactions with foreign platforms such as TikTok and Huawei, and even domestic platforms.
These policies are designed based on laws in the field of cyber governance, as well as economic governance and antitrust, and have given the country's government comprehensive power to regulate the digital space. In contrast, Iran, despite the broader threats, has fewer tools to regulate platforms. Policies such as blocking Telegram and restricting Instagram, although carried out in order to preserve national sovereignty, have had limited effectiveness due to problems created from abroad, lack of appropriate public support, lack of suitable alternatives, and lack of institutional stability and coordination. A comparative comparison of the two countries shows that the United States, despite enjoying less threatening conditions, has adopted a stricter approach to regulating foreign platforms. At the same time, its support for domestic platforms and application of double standards in dealing with other countries indicate the use of platforms as a tool to advance geopolitical policies. In Iran, the inability to effectively interact with platform owners, weakness in the development of local infrastructure, and frequent changes in regulatory policies have put user rights, national sovereignty, and cybersecurity at risk. The final section presents suggestions including strengthening legal frameworks, cyber diplomacy, and developing local infrastructure to improve platform regulation in Iran.
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