Facebook, now part of the parent company Meta Platforms, Inc.
, is one of the world’s
largest and most influential social networking platforms. It was founded on February 4,
2004, by Mark Zuckerberg while he was a sophomore at Harvard University. Joined by
his college roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and
Chris Hughes, Zuckerberg launched what was initially called "TheFacebook," a social
network designed exclusively for Harvard students to connect through online profiles.
The platform quickly gained popularity, with over half the undergraduate population at
Harvard registering within the first month. Encouraged by this success, Facebook
expanded its reach to other Ivy League schools and universities in the Boston area and
across the United States and Canada by late 2004 and early 2005. The company
acquired the domain name "facebook.com" in 2005, dropping the “The” from its original
name, and gradually opened registration to anyone aged 13 or older with a valid email
address in 2006, transforming from a college-only network to a global social media
platform.
Facebook introduced transformative social media features over the years, including the
News Feed in 2006, which became central to how users consume and engage with
content. The platform allows users to create profiles, upload photos, post status
updates, share news, and connect with friends, family, and communities worldwide. By
2007, Facebook surpassed MySpace in global web traffic and became the most visited
social networking site.
Its business model is rooted in targeted advertising, leveraging user-generated data to
deliver personalized ads. This model facilitated Facebook's rapid financial growth and
enabled it to invest in cutting-edge technology and new services. Among its major
strategic moves was the acquisition of Instagram in 2012, WhatsApp in 2014, and
Oculus VR, further expanding its reach beyond social networking into photo-sharing,
messaging, and virtual reality.
Despite its massive success and over 3 billion monthly active users worldwide as of
2023, Facebook has faced numerous controversies. Privacy issues and data misuse,
most notably the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal, drew global scrutiny and legal
challenges. The platform has been criticized for its role in spreading misinformation,
political manipulation, and content moderation challenges, sparking widespread
debates on social media's societal impact. These issues have led to increased
government regulation efforts and ongoing scrutiny over the ethical use of data and
platform governance.
In 2021, Facebook rebranded its parent company as Meta Platforms, signaling a
strategic pivot toward building the “metaverse”—a shared virtual environment
integrating augmented and virtual reality technologies. Despite this shift, Facebook
remains a core social media service within Meta’s expanding portfolio.
From a college project to a powerhouse in digital communication, Facebook has
irrevocably changed the way billions of people connect, interact, and consume
information globally. Its journey highlights profound technological innovation,
entrepreneurial spirit, and ongoing societal challenges tied to the digital age
[1][3][6][5][2].
Sources
[1] History of Facebook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Facebook
[2] Mark Zuckerberg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg
[3] Facebook | Overview, History, Controversies, & Facts
https://www.britannica.com/money/Facebook
[4] Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive ...
https://www.meta.com/media-gallery/executives/mark-zuckerberg/
[5] Mark Zuckerberg | Research Starters https://www.ebsco.com/research-
starters/biography/mark-zuckerberg
[6] Mark Zuckerberg Launches Facebook, Paving the Way ...
https://channel8.com/english/news/30664
[7] Mark Zuckerberg https://www.forbes.com/profile/mark-zuckerberg/
