Pathology of Social Media Regulation in Iran: The Necessity of a Shift Towards Cognitive-Discursive Governance

Goudarzi, Mohsen

doi:10.22082/cr.2025.2050478.2766

Pathology of Social Media Regulation in Iran: The Necessity of a Shift Towards Cognitive-Discursive Governance

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mohsen Goudarzi

.Assistant of prof. in Social Sciences Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22082/cr.2025.2050478.2766

Abstract

This study examines the problems and issues in social media regulation in Iran and proposes solutions to address them. Given the dramatic growth in the use of social platforms, this paper analyzes why current policies in this area are ineffective and emphasizes the need to shift the approach to cognitive-discursive governance. This study used in-depth interviews with seven experts and scholars in the field of social media policy and regulation to collect data and used content analysis to evaluate the data. The research findings show that the fundamental perceptual-cognitive, contextual, economic, socio-political, and technological themes, along with legal-legal challenges and institutional themes related to the regulatory institution(s), are among the most important obstacles to effective regulation. The research results show that a misunderstanding of the concept of regulation, complex and opaque decision-making structures, and a lack of consensus among policymakers have led to existing inefficiencies. This study concludes that the transition from traditional regulatory models to cognitive and discursive governance can reduce existing challenges and help improve governance in this area by considering social and technological dynamics. Regulation is a precise solution for managing domestic social media platforms, but the transition to cognitive-discursive governance is necessary for managing emerging technologies and foreign platforms. This type of governance has enough appeal and power to create acceptable narratives and, as a result, discourse formation, and is able to easily connect with the daily lives of Iranian people.

Keywords

Media Policymaking

Media Regulation

Media Governance

Social Media

Cognitive-Discursive Governance

Subjects

New media

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