Abstract:
Digital platforms function as both hubs of information circulation and arenas of power negotiation. In the context of digital transformation, platform-based media—acting as key intermediaries in digital power structures—rely on user service agreements and privacy policies to mediate between legal frameworks above and user practices below, shifting from governed entities to active governors of user behavior. Within platform-centered power structures, users enter complex contractual relationships through the simple act of "clicking to agree". The accumulation and interlocking of user agreements and privacy policies further increase the visibility of user data practices. At the same time, tensions among platform capital and public interest, private and public authority, and commercial and social values intensify, leading to a redistribution of power relations and resulting in user power asymmetries. In response, a comprehensive governance approach grounded in media values is required. This includes embedding privacy-by-design mechanisms and tiered access authorization, constructing algorithmic transparency through textual mediation and hierarchical information presentation, and creating participatory spaces for informed consent and multi-stakeholder governance. These measures aim to rebalance digital platform power, protect users' legitimate rights and interests, and promote more equitable and sustainable digital governance.