Mark Lanier

Mark Lanier is a lawyer representing plaintiffs in a landmark case against social media giants Google (YouTube) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram) regarding the addictive nature of their platforms, particularly concerning young users. He argued that these companies intentionally built "addiction machines." Lanier recently secured a significant court victory in Los Angeles, with a jury finding Google and Meta liable for intentionally creating addictive platforms and awarding damages to the plaintiff. This verdict is considered a watershed moment, potentially paving the way for numerous similar lawsuits and increased regulation of social media. The case has drawn global attention, with discussions arising in the UK and elsewhere about how to respond to the issues of social media addiction and its impact on mental health. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testified in the trial, defending their companies' practices and denying claims of addiction.