New revelations have surfaced regarding Meta's legal practices, as lawyers suing the company over teen safety issues presented evidence suggesting a systematic effort to shield internal research. According to a recently unsealed document, the team behind Project Nido — the internal name for the launch of Instagram’s Teen Accounts in 2024 — ordered baseball caps featuring the inscription “a/c priv” (attorney-client privilege).
Allegations of a 'Culture of Abuse'
Plaintiffs' lawyers argue that this internal merchandise is part of a broader “culture of privilege abuse at Meta” designed to keep internal research on teen harm out of the public eye. This issue has been a point of contention for Mark Zuckerberg since 2021, following the leak of internal data regarding Instagram’s effects on young users.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has already labeled some of Meta’s privilege redactions as “entirely inappropriate.” In one instance, Meta’s legal team attempted to frame a discussion about whether to publish certain data as legal advice, but the judge ruled it was a business decision focused on preventing leaks.
Legal Delays and Future Proceedings
In April 2025, Meta de-designated approximately 65,000 documents that had been previously withheld or redacted. Plaintiffs claim this disclosure came too late to be effectively used during depositions. While Meta has requested additional time through the end of the year to re-review its redactions, the plaintiffs' lawyers are calling for a neutral third party to be appointed to lead the review, funded by Meta.
