Regulatory Compliance and Data Privacy in Global Streaming Platforms: A Case Study

Thesis Abstract

Regulatory compliance and data privacy have become critical determinants of strategic legitimacy and user trust for global streaming platforms amid evolving cross-border data transfer regimes and stringent consumer protections. The study addresses the persistent tension between rapid service delivery, personalized content, and the protection of user data across diverse regulatory environments, focusing on a real-world multi-platform case within a leading global streaming provider operating in North America, the European Union, and Southeast Asia. The aim is to examine how compliance frameworks, data governance architectures, and privacy-by-design practices influence regulatory conformity, user consent management, and data security outcomes, and to identify mechanisms that enhance accountability and consumer trust. Specific objectives are (i) to map the regulatory landscape for data privacy and content regulation across core markets; (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of data governance structures, consent management, and data minimization practices in mitigating privacy risks; (iii) to assess the impact of privacy compliance on service delivery, user engagement, and platform risk profiles; (iv) to test the applicability of regulatory theories and privacy governance models to streaming platforms; and (v) to develop a framework of best practices for harmonized compliance and privacy assurance in global streaming services. The study adopts a mixed-methods explanatory design combining quantitative and qualitative strands. The population comprises global streaming platforms with substantial cross-border data flows and regional operations, with a purposive sub-sample of 10 platforms (including five major providers and five smaller regional operators) to yield diverse regulatory contexts. A stratified random sample of 1,000 platform users across three regions (EU, US, and Southeast Asia) will be surveyed to measure perceptions of privacy, consent clarity, and trust, complemented by 20 in-depth interviews with compliance officers, data protection officers, and senior product managers to illuminate governance mechanisms, risk controls, and decision-making processes. Data collection instruments include a structured questionnaire validated for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.80) and a semi-structured interview protocol developed around the theoretical constructs of regulatory legitimacy, privacy-by-design, and data governance maturity. Secondary data will be drawn from regulatory impact assessments, platform privacy notices, and annual compliance reports spanning the last four years. Analytical methods encompass descriptive statistics and multivariate regression to examine relationships between governance maturity, consent mechanisms, and perceived privacy risk; structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a proposed integrated model linking regulatory legitimacy, privacy governance, and consumer trust; and thematic analysis of interview transcripts to extract themes on accountability, interoperability of data flows, and cross-border data transfer challenges. The theoretical framework integrates May’s Institutional Theory on regulatory legitimacy and Schrems II implications with the Privacy-by-Design paradigm and the Data Governance Maturity Model, enabling a robust assessment of how organizational capabilities translate into compliant and privacy-respecting platform operations. Expected findings include (i) heterogeneous regulatory impacts across regions with EU GDPR and US sectoral frameworks driving stricter data minimization and consent requirements relative to others; (ii) a positive association between mature data governance structures and higher user trust, mediated by perceived transparency and clarity of consent choices; (iii) evidence that privacy-by-design practices reduce incident rates and regulatory remediation costs, but require continuous alignment with evolving standards; (iv) identification of practical tensions between rapid feature deployment and compliance obligations, necessitating modular and auditable data architectures; and (v) a validated framework of best practices for harmonized compliance management in global streaming ecosystems. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalizing regulatory legitimacy and privacy governance concepts within the context of streaming platforms, producing an empirically grounded integrative model for assessing and improving cross-border compliance. It offers actionable recommendations for policy makers and industry, including standardized consent frameworks, auditable data flow maps, enhanced data minimization protocols, and governance playbooks to accelerate regulatory alignment. The main conclusion posits that sustained regulatory compliance and robust data privacy in global streaming platforms hinge on mature, interoperable data governance coupled with transparent user-centric privacy narratives, supported by continuous auditing, cross-border data transfer safeguards, and governance interoperability across jurisdictions. Recommendations include adopting a unified privacy-by-design toolkit, investing in governance automation, and developing regionally adaptable but globally consistent consent and notice practices to balance user autonomy with platform innovation.