Meta's legal team ordered baseball caps labeled "a/c priv" (attorney-client privilege) while fighting child safety disclosures in court. Plaintiffs' lawyers argue the company is weaponizing privilege claims to withhold evidence.
Meta is facing criticism over how broadly it has applied attorney-client privilege protections in lawsuits alleging harm to teen users' safety and mental health.
Plaintiffs' attorneys revealed this week that an unsealed document shows the team behind Instagram's Teen Accounts program ordered baseball caps emblazoned with "a/c priv"—shorthand for attorney-client privilege. The caps were ordered while Meta's legal department was aggressively invoking privilege to shield internal documents from public disclosure.
The discovery has become a focal point in the ongoing litigation. Lawyers suing the company contend that Meta's lawyers have applied privilege designations far too expansively, effectively blocking access to evidence that could prove relevant to claims that Instagram's features harm adolescent mental health and safety.
Attorney-client privilege is a legal doctrine that protects communications between lawyers and clients from forced disclosure. However, courts have established limits. Privilege does not extend to all internal communications involving lawyers—only those where legal advice is the primary purpose.
The hat order adds a symbolic dimension to the dispute. Critics see it as evidence that Meta employees viewed privilege claims as a casual tool rather than a serious legal protection, potentially undermining the company's broader privilege arguments in court.
Meta has not publicly responded to the hat revelation. The company has consistently maintained that its privilege claims are legitimate and necessary to protect attorney-client communications from competitors and the public.
The case touches on Meta's responsibility for algorithmic features and design choices that researchers and safety advocates say disproportionately affect young users. The company faces multiple lawsuits from states, users, and parents challenging how it manages teen accounts and engagement.
The privilege dispute will likely continue as courts evaluate which withheld documents must be disclosed and which genuinely warrant protection.
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