Facebook / Meta
renamed Meta in 2021
Founded by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg with his roommates, launched from a Harvard dorm room.
Founded2004
HeadquartersCambridge, MA
IndustrySocial Media
1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
It became the world's dominant social network.
Founders
Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Andrew McCollum
Founded February 4, 2004
Landmark Achievements
- Grew from a Harvard-only directory to the largest social network, surpassing MySpace by 2008 and reaching billions of users.
- Its News Feed, “like” button, and social-graph model reshaped online communication, media, and advertising.
- Acquired Instagram and WhatsApp, and renamed itself Meta in 2021 to pursue the “metaverse.”
Facebook / Meta's place in the story
Continue through the chronicle — the builders of American technology, in founding order.