Companies and platforms are deploying increasingly sophisticated strategies to evade regulatory scrutiny—from technical workarounds to performative compliance. Microsoft's Audience Ads exclusion policy (20) and Google's secure API access pilot (28) both frame enhanced control mechanisms as consumer protection, while TikTok's 'moderator error' explanation (39) exemplifies the deflection of blame onto process rather than accountability. These represent control assertions that prioritize narrative management over substantive governance reform.