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2004: Facebook’s Inception
Mark Zuckerberg, along with his college roommates, launches “The Facebook” at Harvard University. Initially, it allows Harvard students to connect using their “.edu” email addresses and photos.
Within 24 hours of launch, around 1,200 students sign up, and within a month, half of all Harvard undergraduates have profiles -
2005
September: Expands to High School Networks
Facebook expands to include high school networks.
October: Photos and International Expansion
Photos feature is added, and Facebook goes international.
December: 6 Million Users
Facebook surpasses 6 million users. -
2006
April: Mobile Access
Facebook goes mobile, allowing users to access the platform from their phones.
September: Open to Everyone
Previously limited to educational institutions, Facebook opens its doors to anyone with a valid email address.
December: 12 Million Members
Membership increases to 12 million users -
2007
June: Video Capability
Facebook introduces video-sharing capabilities.
December: 58 Million Members
The platform reaches 58 million members -
2008
Facebook Chat is introduced, allowing real-time messaging between users.
Facebook Pages for businesses and public figures are launched. -
2010
Facebook Like Button becomes ubiquitous across the web.
Facebook Places enables location-based check-ins. -
2012
Facebook IPO: The company goes public with an initial public offering.
Mobile Revolution: Facebook focuses on mobile apps and advertising -
2014
Facebook acquires WhatsApp for $19 billion.
Video Autoplay feature is introduced. -
2016
Facebook Live: Live video streaming becomes available to users.
Reactions: Beyond the Like button, users can express emotions with reactions. -
2021
Rebranding as Meta: Facebook changes its parent company name to Meta to reflect its broader vision beyond social media.