Inside the Launch: Product Design, Platform Power, and the New Rules of Governance

Platform governance that is driven by external policymakers and researchers is often disconnected from how and when technology companies actually make decisions about their products. This misalignment creates challenges for meaningful oversight and regulation, as external actors cannot see the internal processes that shape platform design and governance. This article explores the internal dynamics of product development, from prototyping through iteration, and how governance considerations are incorporated or excluded at various stages. Arguing for a reintegration of social science and academic expertise into product decision-making, I propose an updated framework that bridges external governance objectives with the realities of platform power and product design.