'This was a righteous case. A holy war': the lawyer who took on Meta and Google
7 hours ago
- #Tech Accountability
- #Landmark Lawsuit
- #Social Media Addiction
- Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark lawsuit alleging Instagram and YouTube are addictive by design, facing bereaved parents.
- Prosecutor Mark Lanier raised concerns about Meta Ray-Bans potentially identifying anonymous jurors via facial recognition.
- The case (KGM v Meta et al) involved a plaintiff, Kaley, who claimed social media addiction caused body dysmorphia and mental health issues.
- Lanier used a custom AI to model jurors' demographics and psychology, testing arguments and analyzing daily trial transcripts.
- Internal documents revealed tech companies used 'casino science' and 'dark patterns' to addict users, comparing platforms to slot machines.
- The jury found Google and Meta liable, awarding $6 million in damages, with Meta responsible for 70% and Google for the rest.
- This case sets a precedent for over 2,000 similar lawsuits against social media companies over harms to children's mental health.
- Lanier, a devout Christian, views litigation as a 'holy war' against companies exploiting the vulnerable, drawing on past wins against big pharma.
- Kaley's addiction began in childhood, leading to severe withdrawal symptoms, self-harm, and diagnosis of depression and body dysmorphia.
- Tech companies argued Kaley's issues stemmed from her upbringing, but Lanier countered that pre-existing vulnerabilities don't excuse harm.
- Zuckerberg testified but avoided answering whether Meta investigated Kaley's account for problematic use, despite evidence of heavy filtering.
- Lanier highlights that social media algorithms are amoral and relentless, designed to maximize attention, with content playing a key role in addiction.
- Future cases may focus on children due to their developing brains, with litigation seen as a way to force changes in business models.
- Lanier is involved in upcoming lawsuits against OpenAI and Roblox, citing similar addictive features and risks of exploitation.
- Despite the victory, Lanier believes the fight against tech giants will be a long-term war, with power being as addictive as any drug.