The Lawyer Holding Big Tech Accountable by ‘Beating the Tar Out of Them’ in Court
Mark Lanier led the first social media addiction case to go to trial, winning a verdict against Meta and Google in March. It’s just the beginning.
Timothy Lanier, the lead attorney in a landmark social media addiction case, described the need to "beat the tar out of them" when speaking with WIRED senior correspondent Lauren Goode at the WIRED World Fair. Lanier was part of the team that filed the first case against Meta and Google, resulting in a $6 million verdict in March.
While a small fraction of the tech giants' revenue, Lanier believes that state attorney generals' lawsuits could drive meaningful change. In an August trial, attorneys general from multiple states, including Arkansas where his firm acted as outside counsel, accused Meta of not safeguarding young social media users. After just a few days, Meta settled for up to $16.7 billion, impacting 51 US states and territories.
The company also committed to altering teenager usage of Instagram and Facebook, such as implementing a default two-hour time limit. While a company of Meta's size can absorb such settlements, they carry broader implications. Lanier emphasized that these legal battles not only influence court outcomes but also shape public perception and internal attitudes within tech companies.
"I'm here because I want everybody to know what these companies do," Lanier stated, "because that type of pressure will help change everything."
Written by urgent.news from Wired Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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