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On October 28, 2003, Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook concept birthed as Facemash--a site where users could compare two people against each other by way of selecting who is hotter than the other. This site was strictly for members-only. -
In January 2004, while still in its infancy, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg begins writing the code for a much more improved way to view students' photos and information surpassing the archaic directory system that Harvard used for keeping track of its student body--a paper hardcopy of photos and information. -
On Feb 4, 2004, Facemash changed its name to TheFacebook to become more of an online concept of what the Harvard University was using for a student body directory. Zuckerberg envisioned it to be a means for connecting university students with one another. -
In 2005, TheFacebook dropped 'The' from its name after purchasing the domain name facebook.com. The following year, the platform was made available for high school students, and in 2006, it became accessible to the general public. -
In 2006, Facebook was opened to the public over the age of 13, connecting people from all walks of life and from all over the world. -
In 2008, a major milestone for Facebook came when it surpassed Myspace as the most-visited social media website while also taking a swing at the popular blue bird of the internet--Twitter. -
In May of 2012, Facebook's initial public offering raised $16 billion, bolstering its market value to a whopping $102.4 billion. During that time, the largest IPO of an internet company was Google, Inc, which had raised $1.9 billion when it went public in 2004. -
In October 2021, Facebook announced their plans to change their parent company's name to Meta Platforms. The name change reflected an emphasis on the “metaverse,” in which users would interact in virtual reality environments. -
From its birthing to its makeovers, through its legal challenges to its popularity, Facebook remains a staple in most American households of today. It brings together cultures and diverse concepts from around the world, uniting its billions of users through one platform. With over 3 billion active users today and a net worth of $728 billion as of the 2023 first quarter, Facebook has proven itself well capable of withstanding the tests of time and the challenges of today.