Meta faces ongoing litigation concerning alleged harms to teenagers’ safety and mental health. The company’s legal strategy has involved claiming attorney-client privilege to withhold certain evidence from public disclosure.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys challenged the scope of these privilege claims this week, citing an unsealed document revealing that Meta’s Project Nido team—which oversaw the launch of Instagram’s Teen Accounts in 2024—ordered baseball caps labeled “a/c priv” (shorthand for attorney-client privilege). The legal team characterizes this merchandise as indicative of what they describe as a systematic approach at Meta to shield internal research on teen harm from public view. The attorneys argue this pattern reflects broader concerns about privilege abuse at the company, matters that gained prominence following the 2021 leak of internal data concerning Instagram’s effects on young users.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has already ruled against some of Meta’s redaction practices. In an order issued last month, the judge deemed certain privilege assertions “entirely inappropriate.” She cited a specific instance where Meta’s attorneys attempted to classify discussions about data publication as legal advice, when trial testimony suggested the underlying motivation was business-related risk management rather than legal consultation.
Meta submitted approximately 65,000 previously redacted or withheld documents in April 2025 following discovery proceedings. Plaintiffs’ counsel contend this late disclosure prevented meaningful use of the materials during depositions. The company has now requested an extension through the end of the current year to conduct additional privilege reviews. Meanwhile, plaintiffs’ attorneys are proposing that an independent third party oversee the re-review process, with Meta bearing the associated costs.
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