Several drivers racing during Daytona 500 weekend will strive to “Be like Biff.” Greg Biffle‘s death will be on hearts and minds as the new NASCAR season begins. His legacy is certain to be a major storyline.
The 2026 Daytona 500 airs on FOX on Sunday (Feb. 15) at 2:30PM ET. This is the first race since Biffle was killed. Even though he was retired, he remained active in the NASCAR community. Many of his friends and proteges will pay their respects.
Greg Biffle Daytona 500 Tribute
The most visible Greg Biffle tribute at the Daytona 500 will be how several drivers choose to display their vehicle numbers. The four RFK Racing (Biffle’s former team) cars will use Biffle’s font for the number. So too will Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and AJ Allmendinger.
Daily Down Force shared a list of social media posts from teams intending to do similar. Brad Keselowski and Corey LaJoie are two more.
Earlier weekend races will find cars and trucks with a “Be Like Biff” sticker on the body. Niece Motorsports is using Biffle’s font for four trucks racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
This race will feature a new driver very familiar to Biffle’s fans, friends and family.
YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland (real name Garrett Mitchell) shared that Biffle was on his way to Florida to visit with him when his plane crashed shortly after takeoff. They’ve worked together on several levels, with the newcomer taking advice to build his career.
This weekend, Mitchell will make his NCTS debut in the No. 4 truck.
Who Else Was Killed In the Greg Biffle Plane Crash?
Biffle’s wife Cristina, daughter Emma and son Ryder were also aboard the plane. Part of their trip to Florida was a family vacation ahead of the holidays. Emma was Biffle’s daughter with his first wife.
Additionally, a pilot named Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were killed in the crash, as was NASCAR motorhome driver and close Biffle friend Craig Wadsworth.
R.I.P.: 40 Country Singers and Songwriters Who Died Too Soon
These country singers had so much more to give. See 40 country singers who died much too soon: Keith Whitley, Mindy McCready, Troy Gentry and more.
They say, “This Thing Is Legendary,” and for good reason.
As the largest rodeo of the 2026 season thus far — and one of the largest overall — the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo provides an early-season preview of emerging stars and established athletes to watch throughout the remainder of the Texas Swing and into the spring rodeos.
After three weeks of cutthroat, tournament-style competition, the top athletes of the 2026 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo ProRodeo Tournament emerged as champions, cementing their names in the 129th chapter of the event’s storied history.
Championship Saturday was also sentimental for rodeo fans, personnel and athletes alike, as legendary announcer Bob Tallman celebrated his 50th — and final — FWSSR behind the microphone.
Many athletes paused to reflect and pay tribute to the voice that has narrated their careers.
“If I start to talk about it long enough, I’ll start to cry a little bit,” said 10-time NFR qualifier and 2026 FWSSR bareback riding champion Tilden Hooper. “When I hear rodeo in my head, whenever I’m practicing or getting ready to get on a horse or practicing on my spur board, it’s always been Tallman’s voice. He’s the best, and I’m so grateful I get to ride in his era and call him a friend.”
With a total payout exceeding $1.6 million, finalists collected checks throughout the tiered tournament-style rodeo. In a unique shootout featuring the top eight competitors in each discipline, the slate was wiped clean, forcing each athlete to lay it all on the line for the coveted title and $20,000 payday.
Two steer wrestlers eager to ignite their 2026 campaigns emerged as co-champions.
Three-time NFR qualifier Bridger Anderson and Trisyn Kalawaia, who finished the 2025 season inside the top 25 in the PRCA standings, each stopped the clock in 3.8 seconds to split the title. Both cowboys earned $16,000 in the final round alone, propelling Anderson to No. 1 in the PRCA world standings and Kalawaia to No. 2.
“This win is huge,” said Kalawaia, a Hilo, Hawaii, native. “The rodeo does such a great job of taking care of us contestants. I love Fort Worth. To get the win here is pretty awesome.”
Kalawaia, who has his sights set on qualifying for his first National Finals Rodeo, understands the significance of a major payday at a Texas Swing indoor rodeo.
“Texas Swing rodeos are big and crucial, but my mindset doesn’t change throughout the year,” he said. “I just focus on staying consistent and doing my job. Vegas is always my goal. It’s been my dream since I was a kid. To start off strong here is great. Hopefully we’ll keep it rolling and stay consistent through the summer.”
Anderson, who knows the road to Las Vegas well, echoed that sentiment.
“It’s a good start to the year,” Anderson said. “We want to set ourselves up for a great year and a gold buckle.”
Anderson added the FWSSR title to his decorated résumé and credited his longtime mount, Whiskers, who has carried him through nearly every chapter of his career.
“It’s pretty awesome to win on Whiskers,” Anderson said. “That horse is pretty special and tries his heart out every time. He’s 17 now. I hope I can continue to ride him for a few more years. I’m grateful for every run I get to make on him.”
Also taking top honors in Cowtown was Hooper, who marked 92 points aboard Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party to claim the bareback riding title. The Texas cowboy earned $20,000 for the win and finished the rodeo with $27,418 in total earnings.
Breakaway roper Jill Tanner added $27,308 to her season earnings after claiming the title inside Dickies Arena. Team ropers Corben Culley and Trent Vaught, took home the largest wins of their careers to date, with a 5.4-second showing, to secure the title and the $20,000 payday.
Reigning world champion barrel racer Kassie Mowry electrified the crowd with a record-setting 16.04-second run to claim the FWSSR title aboard Jarvis.
Rusty Wright of Milford, Utah, and Australia’s Darcy Radel split the saddle bronc riding title with matching 91-point rides. Wright’s score came aboard Calgary Stampede’s Dandy Delight, while Radel matched it on J Bar J Pro Rodeo’s Shady Jacket. Radel earned $21,935 to kickstart his 2026 campaign.
When the North Texas dust settled, four-time NFR qualifier Kincade Henry secured the tie-down roping title with a 7.6-second run aboard his horse, Mario.
Closing out Championship Saturday was bull riding champion Trey Kimzey of Strong City, Oklahoma. One of only two riders to cover his bull, Kimzey scored 88.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Hermes to claim the win. He earned $27,400 during the week, including ground money.
With the conclusion of the 2026 FWSSR in the books, athletes will set their sights on other major Texas Swing rodeos like the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and beyond.
From high in the mountains early in the day to intense drama at an ice rink in southern Milan late at night, today was a day of medals for Team USA, which now owns 12. We also saw men’s hockey begin, with the reigning gold medalist falling in an upset.
Our correspondents have it all covered below and at NBC News. Catch it all streaming on Peacock.
Live from Milan Cortina
In the past four years, the married American figure skating pair of Madison Chock and Evan Bates had become the sport’s dominant pair. But one final accomplishment had eluded them in 15 years of competing together — the Olympic gold medal in ice dance.
Skating second to last in today’s ice dance final, Chock and Bates performed a spirited routine that put them in first place. Before they could celebrate, however, they had to wait out a final pair from France led by reigning Olympic champion Guillaume Cizeron and his partner of less than a year, Laurence Fournier Beaudry. In a dramatic reveal, the French pair’s score was better by less than 2 points, vaulting them into gold. The American and French pairs, who train under the same coach in Montreal, hugged one another in a melancholy moment for the Americans.
American speedskating star Jordan Stolz won the 1,000 meters and shaved a second off the Olympic record by finishing in 1:06.28. The 21-year-old from Wisconsin will also be favored in the 500 meters and the 1,500 meters and may also compete in the mass start, and he is trying to join Eric Heiden as the only American, man or woman, in any sport to win three-plus gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States compete during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy on Feb. 11, 2026. Francisco Seco / AP
The U.S. added to its medal haul on the slopes, where it earned two medals in women’s moguls as Liz Lemley won gold and Jaelin Kauf earned silver. And snowboarder Chloe Kim, less than a month after she tore the labrum in her left shoulder in training, left little doubt that she’ll be a threat for gold in the halfpipe by registering the highest score in qualifying. The U.S. has medaled in every Olympics since the halfpipe debuted in 1998.
Italy’s sensational Olympics continued when it won gold medals in both the men’s and women’s double luge. Thus far, Italy is one of just three countries to have earned double-digit medals. And men’s hockey has begun — with a surprise. Finland, the reigning champion, didn’t just lose its opening game; it was crushed by Slovakia, 4-1. The U.S. men open tomorrow against Latvia.
Athlete Spotlight
It had been a rough couple of days for Ryan Cochran-Siegle.
The Vermont native suffered from food poisoning, just about managing to battle it down enough to run in Saturday’s downhill, before his beloved New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl on Sunday. Bouncing back from his illness, he managed to prove his 2022 silver was no fluke as he claimed second again in the men’s super-G.
“It’s super emotional,” Cochran-Siegle told NBC Sports’ Heather Cox when he was asked how it felt to come back from illness to claim silver. “Definitely had to fight some demons with the toilet before my run.”
Ryan Cochran-Siegle of Team United States competes during the Men’s Super G on day five of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Stelvio Alpine Skiing Centre on Feb. 11, 2026 in Bormio, Italy.Christian Petersen / Getty Images
Cheering him on was his mom, Barbara Cochran, who won gold at the 1972 Sapporo Games — 50 years to the day before he got silver in Beijing. His fiancée, Jessica Lucas, was also in attendance.
“I was selfish, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted my mom to come here, just because it is such a big event,” he admitted. “She was a little sick the last few days, too, so I got to see her from a balcony yesterday, but I haven’t actually seen her in person; [that’ll] be nice. And then, obviously, Jesse, too. She’s a huge part of my life. Sharing this moment with them is cool. I did not expect this, but obviously it’s nice to bring home some hardware.”
Photo of the Day
Florian Auer of Team Austria participates during Men’s Training Heat 6 on day five of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Sliding Centre on Feb. 11, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Carmen Mandato / Getty Images
When to Watch
Thursday will be a stacked day of action. We’ll see U.S. men’s hockey for the first time, as it takes on Latvia. Chloe Kim has a chance at history, and we get to witness the chaotic glory that is short track speedskating.
All times are in Eastern, and an asterisk signifies a medal event.
3:05 a.m.: Curling, women’s round robin (Korea vs. USA, Japan vs. Sweden, Italy vs. Switzerland, Canada vs. Denmark)
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Firing back at the state’s star witness, attorneys for Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, spent the day grilling a former employee in the state’s lawsuit accusing Meta of putting young users in danger. It was a tense courtroom on Wednesday, as Meta attorneys hit back at claims by the company’s […]
If your Wednesday is moving a little too slow, why not kick it into high gear with this Sepultura show from Pinkpop 1996? It opens up with “Roots Blood Roots”, so there’s no time to be eased into things – the ass kicking is imminent and fierce. It also sounds great for being a live show, though I do wish that kinda farty bass tone was taken down a decibel or two. Whatever. The show runs as follows:
“Roots Bloody Roots”
“Spit”
“Territory”
“Breed Apart”
“Attitude”
“Dusted”
“Straighthate”
“Arise” / “Dead Embryonic Cells”
“Slave New World”
“Refuse/Resist”
“Ratamahatta” / “Kaiowas”
Sepultura plans to wrap up their career at one final show sometime this year in São Paulo, Brazil and it seems pretty unlikely that former frontman Max Cavalera and former drummer Igor Cavalerawill join them despite being invited come jam at the final show. Which I guess isn’t surprising, given that Max has been pretty vocal and critical of Sepultura carrying on over the years without the Cavalera brothers.
So… enjoy this 1996 performance instead. It’s probably the closest thing we’re gonna get.
Want More Metal? Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter
Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.
Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.
Multiple Authors
On Feb. 15, the NBA will debut a new All-Star Game format that features three teams in a mini “USA vs. the World” tournament. The rosters are stacked with stars: The USA teams include future Hall of Famers, and the world squad has some of the top international talents in the NBA.
Based on that All-Star tweak, we’ve decided to put together our own “USA vs. the World” teams in college basketball.
The NBA’s international team features players from around the world — and Karl-Anthony Towns, who was born in New Jersey but whose late mother was from the Dominican Republic. He has stated his desire to one day honor her by playing for the Dominican national team in the Olympics.
We’ve used similar criteria to add players to our world team. They either were born in another country, have played for another country’s national team, or have a parent from another country and could qualify to represent that nation one day, even if they’re U.S.-born.
Each team has five starters, eight reserves and two alternates.
Who are you picking in this matchup? Team USA or Team World?
The Texas Tech star (19.6 PPG, 7.5 APG, 44% from beyond the arc) is the son of a German father and recently played for Germany’s 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup team. In that event, he averaged 17.3 PPG, leading the nation to a silver medal. He could be an All-American this season and represent Germany once again in the 2028 Olympic Summer Games.
The potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft was born and raised in Boston, and he has won three gold medals with Team USA in FIBA competition. He also has a connection to Jamaica, where his mother was born. Dybantsa recently launched a relief effort to help the country recover after Hurricane Melissa. He’ll also have a path to represent his mother’s homeland in international competition one day, if he so chooses.
Ament, a 6-foot-10 projected lottery pick, has averaged 25.4 PPG and connected on 50% of his 3-point attempts in Tennessee’s past five games. The Vols are 4-1 during that stretch. He’s on this roster because of his basketball prowess, but also because of his connection to his mother’s home country, Rwanda, where he also organized a basketball camp and charitable effort last summer.
Lendeborg is the leader of a Wolverines squad that is ranked first on KenPom. He has made 67% of his shots inside the arc this season. Off the court and on it, he has strong ties to the Dominican Republic, which both his mother and father represented in national competition. Lendeborg has stated a desire to follow in their footsteps and play for the country in future competitions.
He was born in Texas, but the Big East Preseason Player of the Year moved to Nigeria with his family when he was young before returning to the United States in the sixth grade — and incidentally discovering a love for basketball. Ejiofor, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals in his team’s win over UConn on Friday, has helped St. John’s win 10 games in a row.
In 2023, Holloway scored 15 points at the Nike Hoop Summit, where he represented Canada. His tie to the country? The Alabama guard’s mother was born in Calgary and raised in Toronto. This season, he’s averaging 17.2 PPG and connecting on 44% of his shots from beyond the arc.
The standout freshman helped Belgium secure a fourth-place finish in the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2023. At Virginia, De Ridder is averaging 16.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 37% from 3, helping to make the Cavaliers an ACC contender in Ryan Odom’s first season as head coach.
He has played a pivotal role in Florida’s turnaround in the second half of this season, making 69% of his shots around the rim and holding opposing players to a 40% clip in the same category, per Synergy Sports.
The freshman standout scored 40 points in a win over Georgia Tech on Saturday and has now scored at least 25 points in 11 games. He’s currently sixth in the nation in scoring (22.4 PPG). His family is from Nigeria, and he has done nonprofit work there as well.
The Australian forward withdrew from the NBA draft in the offseason for a chance to win another national title. He has positioned the Gators to do exactly that with a strong start to his junior season, averaging 13.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.5 BPG.
The Kansas big man has held the Jayhawks together in a turbulent season full of injuries and adversity. Hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo, he’s averaging an impressive 14.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 2.6 BPG.
Veesaar’s clutch 3 in the final minutes of UNC’s win over Duke on Saturday was his biggest moment in a season full of highlights. The Estonian center is averaging 16.8 PPG and 9.0 RPG for the Tar Heels after transferring from Arizona.
The Dominican forward is on the midseason top-10 watch list for the Julius Erving Award (the nation’s top small forward) after averaging 18.3 PPG and connecting on 37% of his attempts from the 3-point line for USC. He lived in the Caribbean country until he moved to the United States for high school.
Averaging 17.7 PPG and 2.1 SPG for the struggling Bears, the 6-5 wing is a projected first-round pick in the upcoming draft and could become the first NBA player from Benin, a nation of 14 million.
Nebraska’s undefeated streak came to an end versus Michigan on Jan. 27, a matchup Mast missed because of injury. But when on the floor, the 6-10 forward from the Netherlands is averaging 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 3.0 APG for the Cornhuskers, who are chasing their first conference title in more than 70 years.
Kelvin Sampson rarely trusts young players to lead his teams. But Flemings, who’s averaging 17.1 PPG, 37% from 3 and 5.9 APG, has earned that responsibility in a stellar freshman season. Against BYU on Saturday, he helped his team make a second-half run to win a fourth consecutive game. With him at the point, the Cougars are now one game behind Arizona in the race for the Big 12 title.
The narrative surrounding Peterson has switched between injury concerns (11 missed games) and a buzz that he’s not only the potential No. 1 draft pick but also possibly the best player in America. He has made the case with his numbers: 20.5 PPG, 42% from beyond the arc, 55% inside the arc, 79% from the charity stripe.
UNC’s freshman superstar put his stamp on the season with his 23-point effort in Saturday’s thrilling 71-68 victory over rival Duke. The 6-10 big man had been playing at a high level well before, but his effort in the biggest rivalry in the sport might have helped him secure a spot on one of the AP All-America teams at the end of the season.
play
0:27
Joe Lunardi: ‘Beware of the Tar Heels’
Joe Lunardi breaks down UNC’s recent wins and what they’ll need to do to keep climbing the bracket.
Last season, former Duke superstar Cooper Flagg put together one of the greatest freshman seasons in recent college basketball history. Boozer (23.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 38% from 3) is having a year that’s superior in many categories. He also has been the frontrunner — without any real competition — all season in the national player of the year race.
The Iowa State standout is the anchor for a team that’s chasing a top-three seed in the NCAA tournament. Jefferson (17.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 41% from beyond the arc) is one of the most versatile offensive players in the country and an excellent defender. At 6-9, he’s one of America’s most difficult matchups.
The only returning AP first-team All-American entered the season as the favorite to win the Wooden Award. He’s second in the nation in assists (8.7 APG) in what has also turned out to be a better season than a year ago (43% from 3).
The Arkansas point guard is the latest ball handler for John Calipari with All-American aspirations. He’s an excellent shooter (42% from 3) and playmaker (6.3 APG). He’s also trustworthy (3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio). Acuff is a complete guard and could lead the Razorbacks in making some noise in the NCAA tournament.
A year after the Tigers reached the Final Four under his father, first-year head coach Steven Pearl could lead a brand-new roster to the NCAA tournament. Hall (21.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 40% from the 3-point line), a transfer from UCF, is the catalyst for the 12th-best team in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
He was a four-star prospect in the 2025 class after winning a high school state title in Kansas last year. He has turned into a strong contender for Big Ten Player of the Year after leading Illinois to the top of the league standings despite the Illini missing standout Kylan Boswell due to a wrist injury.
Momcilovic was named to the Julius Erving Award midseason top-10 list following a strong start to the 2025-26 season. Not only is he averaging 18.7 PPG, but he’s also the top 3-point shooter in the country by a healthy margin (53.3%).
Haugh decided to return to college this season to improve his NBA draft stock. It appears to have been the right move. He’s averaging 17.8 PPG and 6.4 RPG, including scoring 22 points in an 86-67 win over Texas A&M on Saturday — a win that catapulted the Gators to first place in the SEC.
The Texas Tech star has developed rapidly in recent years. He was an unheralded freshman at New Mexico before taking home Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors. He secured a second-team AP All-America nod last season. As a junior, he’s averaging 21.8 PPG and 10.6 RPG, and could pick up more awards this season.
Philon’s 25-point effort Saturday helped the Crimson Tide knock off rival Auburn. It wasn’t an unusual performance from one of the top players in the SEC, however. The combo guard has had 11 games this season with at least 17 points and five assists.
The Gonzaga star has improved every season, and this campaign, he has an offensive rating that’s among the best in the nation. The 6-9 forward has made 60% of his shots inside the arc and 37% of his shots outside. He’s also a critical part of one of Mark Few’s best defensive teams.
Karaban could finish his fourth season in Storrs with a third national title. He averages 13.5 PPG and 42% from 3 and remains the steady leader on a stacked Huskies roster featuring multiple players who can step up on any given night.
Lindsey Vonn says she underwent a third round of surgery Wednesday and is making “slow” progress as she recovers from a crash that broke her leg during her downhill Olympic race on Sunday.
The surgery was successful, she said in a post on Instagram. She also shared photos of herself in her hospital bed with a metal frame attached to her leg.
“Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago,” she posted. “I’m making progress and while it is slow, I know I’ll be ok.”
Vonn, who calls Colorado home, said she is thankful for the incredible medical staff, family and friends who have been by her side and for “the beautiful outpouring of love and support from people around the world.”
“Also, huge congrats to my teammates and all of the Team USA athletes who are out there inspiring me and giving me something to cheer for,” she posted.
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn shared a photo from the hospital where she’s recovering after breaking her leg in a crash in the women’s downhill race at the Winter Olympics, Feb. 11, 2026.
@lindseyvonn via Instagram/via REUTERS
Vonn crashed seconds into her race after deciding to compete despite rupturing her left ACL in a prior crash during a World Cup event in the Swiss Alps a week before.
The 41-year-old American came out of retirement to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics and had said she felt confident she could still complete the race with the help of a knee brace.
A high-profile trial against social media company Meta continued into its second day in Santa Fe, with prosecutors accusing the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp of intentionally targeting teens and preteens to maximize advertising revenue while exposing young users to sexual exploitation and other online dangers.On Tuesday, jurors heard testimony from Arturo Béjar, a former senior Facebook leader who oversaw engineering and product efforts related to site integrity, security, safety and customer support.Béjar testified that Facebook maintained a proactive internal standard for addressing user harm when he left the company in 2015. He said he returned in 2019 after his daughter received sexually explicit photos online, hoping to help drive change, but found the company had shifted to a less responsive environment.Béjar said research and recommendations aimed at reducing harm were often ignored. “So many examples of people with good ideas for good things that would reduce harm within, as it got reviewed and went through the pipeline, would get pushed down,” he said.During his testimony, Béjar used a car analogy to describe platform responsibility. He said people expect a car to operate safely regardless of who is driving and argued the same standard should apply to social media products. He also said parents and children share responsibility for online harm.Béjar conducted an internal survey called the Bad Experiences and Encounters Framework, or BEEF, in 2021, which included nearly 238,000 Instagram users between the ages of 13 and 15. The survey asked whether they had experienced multiple types of online harm.According to the survey, about one in three users reported witnessing online bullying, while about one in 10 said they had personally experienced it. One in five reported seeing sexual images.Béjar became emotional while discussing the findings, highlighting the scale of potential harm among teenage users.”270 million teenagers on Instagram today. But it’s 1 in 10 out of 270 million kids, right? That’s half the population of the United States. When you see this number to act on it, because you’re going to, you have such a responsibility to the safety of every single one of those kids,” Béjar said.Béjar testified that he presented the results in an email to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other top executives. He said leadership was aware of the reported harm but did not implement changes and alleged the company prioritized growth and competition with other social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat.Béjar testified that while Instagram’s policy in 2021 during the time of the study states harmful behavior is not allowed, internal data shows such behavior continues and policies do not adequately warn parents about potential risks.Béjar said Meta focused on building new features and directing resources toward growth rather than addressing safety concerns. He also criticized the company leadership’s response to safety issues.”I think they (executives) really care about making people think that they care. But I think in practice they don’t care,” Béjar said. “Caring is the moment you become aware of something, you engage with it, you understand it, you work on it, you do things that make it better.”The defense has not yet cross-examined Béjar.
A high-profile trial against social media company Meta continued into its second day in Santa Fe, with prosecutors accusing the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp of intentionally targeting teens and preteens to maximize advertising revenue while exposing young users to sexual exploitation and other online dangers.
On Tuesday, jurors heard testimony from Arturo Béjar, a former senior Facebook leader who oversaw engineering and product efforts related to site integrity, security, safety and customer support.
Béjar testified that Facebook maintained a proactive internal standard for addressing user harm when he left the company in 2015. He said he returned in 2019 after his daughter received sexually explicit photos online, hoping to help drive change, but found the company had shifted to a less responsive environment.
Béjar said research and recommendations aimed at reducing harm were often ignored. “So many examples of people with good ideas for good things that would reduce harm within, as it got reviewed and went through the pipeline, would get pushed down,” he said.
During his testimony, Béjar used a car analogy to describe platform responsibility. He said people expect a car to operate safely regardless of who is driving and argued the same standard should apply to social media products. He also said parents and children share responsibility for online harm.
Béjar conducted an internal survey called the Bad Experiences and Encounters Framework, or BEEF, in 2021, which included nearly 238,000 Instagram users between the ages of 13 and 15. The survey asked whether they had experienced multiple types of online harm.
According to the survey, about one in three users reported witnessing online bullying, while about one in 10 said they had personally experienced it. One in five reported seeing sexual images.
Béjar became emotional while discussing the findings, highlighting the scale of potential harm among teenage users.
“270 million teenagers on Instagram today. But it’s 1 in 10 out of 270 million kids, right? That’s half the population of the United States. When you see this number to act on it, because you’re going to, you have such a responsibility to the safety of every single one of those kids,” Béjar said.
Béjar testified that he presented the results in an email to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other top executives. He said leadership was aware of the reported harm but did not implement changes and alleged the company prioritized growth and competition with other social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat.
Béjar testified that while Instagram’s policy in 2021 during the time of the study states harmful behavior is not allowed, internal data shows such behavior continues and policies do not adequately warn parents about potential risks.
Béjar said Meta focused on building new features and directing resources toward growth rather than addressing safety concerns. He also criticized the company leadership’s response to safety issues.
“I think they (executives) really care about making people think that they care. But I think in practice they don’t care,” Béjar said. “Caring is the moment you become aware of something, you engage with it, you understand it, you work on it, you do things that make it better.”
