Social Media Addiction Litigation: Trial Lessons from Attorney Michelle Greene

This interview is presented as a follow-up to Verus’s social media litigation webinar and is intended to continue the educational discussion surrounding this evolving litigation. The views expressed by Michelle Greene and The Lanier Law Firm are their own and do not represent an endorsement by Verus of any party or position.

Social media addiction litigation has quickly become one of the most significant emerging mass torts in the United States. As lawsuits against major technology companies continue to move through the courts, attorneys handling these cases face unique challenges involving scientific evidence, discovery, causation, and jury presentation.

In a recent interview, Michelle Greene of The Lanier Law Firm shared valuable insights from her experience as a member of the trial team that secured a landmark verdict involving Meta and YouTube. From preparing families for extensive discovery to presenting compelling evidence at trial, her experience offers practical guidance for law firms navigating this rapidly evolving litigation.

Watch the full interview with Michelle Greene below to hear her firsthand insights into social media addiction litigation, trial strategy, and lessons learned from the courtroom.

According to Michelle Greene, mass tort litigation exists because individual lawsuits often cannot address widespread corporate misconduct at scale. Throughout her career, she has represented plaintiffs in pharmaceutical litigation, PFAS and AFFF cases, Camp Lejeune claims, and most recently, social media addiction litigation.

She explains that these lawsuits focus on whether social media platforms knowingly designed products that encouraged addictive use among children while understanding the potential risks involved.

The litigation represents a growing area of mass tort law where plaintiffs seek accountability for alleged harms caused by platform design and engagement algorithms.

One of the biggest milestones discussed during the interview was the historic jury verdict finding Meta and YouTube liable for negligence and failure to warn. Michelle Greene emphasized that this decision marked an important moment not only for the family involved but also for the future direction of social media addiction litigation.

According to Greene, years of reviewing internal company documents helped demonstrate what the platforms allegedly knew about the effects of their products.

The verdict also reinforced an important lesson:

Scientific evidence is essential, but compelling storytelling is what helps juries connect with the facts.

Mass tort litigation often involves extensive scientific research, technical expert testimony, and thousands of internal corporate documents.

Greene explained that while expert witnesses provided detailed neuroscience regarding addiction, jurors ultimately connected most strongly with the experiences of real families.

She highlighted how presenting complicated evidence in a simple, understandable way helped the jury follow the case.

For attorneys handling complex litigation, this demonstrates that effective courtroom storytelling can significantly enhance the impact of technical evidence.

One of the largest concerns entering trial involved proving specific causation.

Many plaintiffs had experienced other challenges, including family instability or mental health issues, which defendants argued were the true causes of their injuries.

Greene described how the trial team addressed this issue using a memorable analogy.

Instead of arguing that vulnerable children were less credible plaintiffs, they explained that vulnerability made them more susceptible to being targeted.

This perspective helped the jury better understand how alleged platform design could affect already vulnerable users.

According to Michelle Greene, attorneys should begin preparing clients during the initial intake process rather than waiting until discovery deadlines approach.

Families may need to provide:

• Device history
• Social media usage records
• Mental health records
• Educational information
• Communications
• Medical documentation

Setting expectations early helps reduce surprises later in the litigation process while improving the completeness of the evidence collected.

Another important topic discussed during the interview was privacy.

Greene explained that once litigation proceeds, certain personal information may become part of the public record, especially if a case reaches trial. Families should understand this possibility before deciding to move forward.

Having honest conversations early helps clients make informed decisions throughout the litigation process.

Efficient evidence management plays a critical role in mass tort litigation.

Greene noted that successful case preparation begins with structured intake and continuous record collection rather than treating discovery as a one-time event.

Effective practices include:

• Creating standardized intake procedures
• Tracking requested records
• Monitoring outstanding documentation
• Organizing medical records
• Managing device and platform usage data
• Maintaining consistent case documentation

A well-organized record collection process helps attorneys build stronger, more complete case narratives.

The interview highlighted several important lessons for firms handling social media addiction litigation:

• Begin evidence collection at intake.
• Prepare families for extensive discovery.
• Develop clear and compelling case narratives.
• Combine scientific evidence with relatable storytelling.
• Organize records continuously throughout the litigation.
• Address privacy expectations early.
• Build comprehensive documentation to support causation.

These practices can help attorneys improve case preparation while better supporting clients through complex litigation.

Managing large volumes of plaintiff data, medical records, discovery documents, and case information requires efficient workflows and reliable litigation support.

Verus partners with law firms handling complex mass torts and class actions by providing scalable litigation support, plaintiff management solutions, and data administration services that help legal teams stay organized throughout every phase of litigation.

Contact Verus today to learn how our litigation support solutions can help your team manage high-volume social media addiction cases more efficiently.