Meta Team Ordered “A/C Priv.” Hats as Lawyers Disputed Sealed Evidence

Meta lawyers have argued that some evidence in lawsuits over alleged harm to teens’ safety and mental health should be withheld from public view under attorney-client privilege. Lawyers representing plaintiffs say the privilege label has been applied too broadly.

A recently unsealed document shows that the team behind Instagram’s Teen Accounts ordered baseball caps marked “a/c priv.” The team was internally called Project Nido. The plaintiffs’ lawyers argue the merchandise reflects a “culture of privilege abuse at Meta” intended to keep internal research on harm to teens out of public view.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers called some of Meta’s privilege redactions “entirely inappropriate” in an order last month. One example involved a discussion about a slide deck and whether to publish data. The judge said trial testimony indicated that the reluctance to publish was a business decision focused on preventing leaks, rather than a discussion of legal advice.

Meta removed the privilege designation from about 65,000 documents in April 2025, after discovery. Plaintiffs say that came too late for use in depositions. Meta has requested until the end of this year to review other privilege redactions. The plaintiffs’ lawyers want a neutral party, paid by Meta, to lead that review.