Analysing Platform Business Regulation Controversies with Actor- Network Theory and Cartography of Controversy

The development of information technology underpinning the Industrial 4. revolution led to increased platform businesses, which changed the economic model, the business environment, and consumer welfare. Debates about these businesses' benefits and challenges indicate that they are still in question and how to support and regulate them as an application of new science and technology development. The issues of Iranian ride-sharing platform businesses can also develop in line with this question, which has created challenges for policymakers. Since these studies have yet to draw apparent horizons for policymakers, this article aims to explain these issues under controversies, identify the actors, itemize them, and examine their relationships. Therefore, we recognize and analyze a network of actors in this field and their relationships through the Actor-Network Theory. The data of this research, which is related to the period of 1393 to 1400, was collected based on the Cartography of Controversies tool and completed the data with targeted interviews. The results show three cold disputes raised: market entry permits, prohibition of activity in some cities, illegal activity and one hot controversy: dynamic pricing in the regulatory process of platform businesses which have 62, 22, 18 and 17 actors respectively. Furthermore, creating the virtual business union, notification of the regulations, developing the relevant guidelines and issuing the permits have been resolved.