The Platform Question: Power, Accountability and Global South The Platform Question: Power, Accountability and Global South CHAPTER 1 Platform Regulations Across the Globe: Navigating Tensions Between Freedom and Control By Syed Mohammad Haroon Introduction Every day, billions of people interact with digital platforms in different ways, from sharing moments of their personal lives, to expressing opinions, to consuming news, to building businesses, and even to organizing social movements. These interactions have made platforms not just tools of communication, but integral spaces where personal expression, public discourse, and economic activity intersect. Platforms like Meta, X, YouTube, and TikTok now form the invisible infrastructure of modern public life. Yet, these same systems that empower speech and connection also amplify misinformation, hate speech, sexually explicit content, violence, illegal activities, child sexual abuse material, spam, doxxing, inappropriate imagery, offensive behavior, pervasive surveillance and more. The moderation choices of platforms decide what stories gain attention, which voices are heard, and influence community responses. Platforms over the years have also influenced elections decisions, steered social movements and amplified conflicts.[1] These platforms operate behind closed doors with opaque algorithms, private policies, and commercial priorities and remain unaccountable to the wide-reaching effects they have on society.[2] In response, governments worldwide are confronting a difficult question: How can platforms be held accountable without undermining free speech? What once thrived as an open and unregulated space is now transforming into a heavily regulated area with constant changes. Legislators are drafting laws that define what platforms can host, how they handle user data, 16 Platform Regulations Across the Globe Platform Regulations Across the Globe The moderation choices of platforms decide what stories gain attention, which voices are heard, and influence community responses. 17