Facebook

the social networking service

Facebook

Name	Facebook
Logo	Facebook logo.jpeg
Url	https://www.facebook.com
Commercial	Yes
Type	Social networking service
Language	Multilingual
Registration	Required
Num Users	3.07 billion MAUs (December 31, 2023)
Content License	Proprietary
Owner	Meta Platforms
Author	Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes
Launched	2004-02-04
Current Status	Active
Parent	Meta Platforms (since 2021 corporate rebrand)

Facebook is a global social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. Launched on February 4, 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow Harvard classmates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, Facebook allows registered users to create profiles, connect with friends and communities, publish text and media posts, join groups and events, buy and sell goods through Marketplace, and consume creator and publisher content through feeds, stories, live streams, and short-form video. Facebook became one of the world’s most widely used online platforms and a core property within Meta’s “Family of Apps,” alongside Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

As of December 31, 2023, Facebook reported 2.11 billion daily active users (DAUs) and 3.07 billion monthly active users (MAUs). In 2025, Meta reported continued growth in advertising and Family-of-Apps usage, with Family daily active people (DAP) at 3.48 billion for June 2025 and quarterly revenue of $47.52 billion in Q2 2025.

Etymology and positioning

The name “Facebook” derives from printed student directories (“face books”) once handed out at American universities to help students learn names and faces. From its origin as a campus directory, Facebook evolved into a general-purpose, mainstream social network for identity-based connection and public sharing. In October 2021 the corporate parent rebranded from Facebook, Inc. to Meta Platforms to reflect ambitions in virtual/augmented reality and AI; the Facebook app retained its name as a flagship social service within Meta’s broader portfolio.

History

Harvard origins and early expansion (2004–2005)

Zuckerberg launched “TheFacebook” at Harvard on February 4, 2004; within days thousands of students registered. The site soon opened to other Ivy League schools, then to universities across the United States and Canada, and later to high schools and select corporate networks before opening to anyone aged 13+ in 2006 (age minimum varies by jurisdiction).

News Feed and platformization (2006–2011)

In September 2006, Facebook introduced the News Feed and Mini-Feed, an activity stream that centralized updates from friends and Pages; user backlash over perceived privacy intrusions prompted the company to add granular feed privacy controls days later. Opening the platform to outside developers (2007) led to ecosystem growth, notably social games and apps, while the introduction of Pages, Groups, and Events scaled community features for creators, brands, and organizations.

IPO and strategic acquisitions (2012–2019)

Facebook completed its initial public offering in May 2012, one of the largest technology IPOs at the time. To diversify and expand its mobile and vision portfolios, the company acquired Instagram (2012, approximately $1 billion), WhatsApp (2014, approximately $19 billion), and Oculus VR (2014, approximately $2 billion). Other product milestones included the mobile Messenger app, Live video streaming, Facebook Watch, Marketplace (launched 2016), and Dating (rolled out in select markets including the U.S. in 2019).

Corporate rebrand to Meta (2021–present)

On October 28, 2021, the parent company changed its name to Meta Platforms, signaling investment focus in AR/VR and the “metaverse,” but the Facebook service continued to operate under the existing brand.

Features

Facebook’s core user experience centers on identity-based profiles connected by friend relationships and follows, with content distributed through ranked feeds. Notable feature categories include:

Profiles and Pages: Personal profiles for individuals; Pages for public figures, businesses, and organizations, with tools for posts, events, Shops, and subscriptions.

News Feed/Feed: A machine-learning ranked stream of posts, prioritizing recent, relevant, and “meaningful” interactions; algorithm changes in 2018 increased weight on interactions between people to promote “meaningful social interactions.”

Stories and Reels: Ephemeral stories and vertically oriented short-form video formats with editing, effects, and monetization for creators.

Groups and Events: Community hubs with moderation tools, membership settings, live audio rooms, and event planning/invitations.

Marketplace and Commerce: Peer-to-peer listings, shipping and checkout in supported regions; Shops integration across Facebook and Instagram.

Video and Live: Facebook Watch, live streaming with stars/ads, and game streaming; rights deals in some markets for events and sports programming.

Safety and integrity: Community Standards, fact-checking partnerships, spam/abuse detection, appeals, and the independent Oversight Board for select content decisions.

Algorithms and ranking

Facebook’s ranking systems combine predicted relevance, inventory breadth, user preferences, and integrity signals. Over the years, Facebook shifted from heuristic “EdgeRank” concepts to large-scale machine-learning models, adding signals like dwell time, comment depth, and quality surveys. In January 2018, Meta announced changes to prioritize “meaningful social interactions” (MSI) among people, which reduced passive publisher reach while favoring posts that spark conversations among friends/family. Facebook periodically publishes system cards, integrity reports, and explanations in its Transparency Center to describe policy enforcement and ranking choices.

Business model

Facebook generates most revenue through advertising sold via self-serve and managed platforms (Ads Manager and API). Advertisers can define objectives (awareness, consideration, conversion), target audiences, and bid strategies; delivery and pricing are determined by an auction that considers advertiser bids, estimated action rates, and user experience/quality metrics. Meta also earns revenue from payments, creator tools, and other services. In Q2 2025, Meta reported $47.52 billion in revenue (primarily advertising), with Family of Apps contributing the vast majority of operating income.

Usage and reach

Facebook’s scale is reflected in hundreds of languages supported, billions of profiles, and extensive global penetration. As of December 31, 2023, Facebook reported 2.11 billion DAUs and 3.07 billion MAUs, up 6% and 3% year over year, respectively. Meta reports complementary Family metrics (DAP/MAP) to reflect cross-app usage across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Privacy, data practices, and security

Facebook’s data practices involve account information, content, behavioral signals, and device/network data to personalize experiences and ads. The company provides privacy controls, download tools, and transparency dashboards, while facing long-running scrutiny over tracking across apps and websites and over algorithmic impacts.

Major incidents

Cambridge Analytica (2018) — Data from tens of millions of Facebook users collected via a third-party app was used for political advertising, prompting global inquiries and reforms at the company.

FTC settlement (2019) — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission imposed a record $5 billion civil penalty and sweeping privacy obligations, including independent oversight; a court-modified order took effect in 2020.

GDPR enforcement (2023) — Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, following a binding European Data Protection Board decision, fined Meta Ireland €1.2 billion and ordered suspension of certain EU–U.S. data transfers for the Facebook service.

Security bugs and scraping — Facebook has disclosed incidents including a 2018 access-token vulnerability and large-scale scraping exposed in 2021; the company described mitigation steps and tools for search/removal and notifications.

Content moderation and governance

Facebook enforces Community Standards against hate speech, harassment, misinformation that could lead to imminent harm, dangerous organizations and individuals, and other policy categories. Enforcement combines automated detection, human review, user reporting, and appeals. In 2020, Meta launched the independent Oversight Board to review a subset of controversial decisions and recommend policy changes; Meta publishes quarterly transparency reports and enforcement metrics.

Societal impact and research

Scholars have examined Facebook’s effects on information exposure, polarization, advertising fairness, mental health, civic participation, and crisis communication. Studies have highlighted algorithmic and market dynamics that can skew ad delivery outcomes, including potential demographic disparities even with inclusive targeting, and have evaluated the timeliness and limits of moderation during fast-moving events such as the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. Earlier work documented user reaction to the debut of News Feed and perceived privacy losses that later informed control designs.

Accessibility and safety tools

Facebook provides assistive technologies such as automatic alt text for images, screen-reader support, captioning, and account safety controls (two-factor authentication, login alerts, trusted contacts). Following regulatory settlements and oversight, Meta expanded privacy reviews for new features, default settings for minors, advertiser restrictions for sensitive categories, and tools to manage off-Facebook activity.

Developer platform

The Facebook Platform enables third-party integration via Graph APIs, Login, sharing dialogs, and SDKs for web and mobile. After 2018, Meta restricted data access, introduced app review and purpose limitations, and increased developer auditing and transparency following platform misuse revelations.

Acquisitions and divestitures related to Facebook

Instagram (2012): photo/video social network.

WhatsApp (2014): messaging application and platform.

Oculus VR (2014): virtual reality hardware/software (now within Meta’s Reality Labs).

Giphy (2020→2023): Meta agreed to acquire Giphy in 2020; the UK Competition and Markets Authority ordered divestment; Giphy was subsequently sold to Shutterstock in 2023.

Criticism and controversies

Facebook has been criticized for its role in the spread of misinformation, election influence operations, polarization and social harm, content moderation consistency, and teen mental health (through Instagram). In 2021, the Wall Street Journal published “The Facebook Files,” and a multi-newsroom consortium reported the “Facebook Papers,” based on internal documents disclosed to regulators by whistleblower Frances Haugen; the reports alleged the company often knew about harms yet struggled to mitigate them at scale.

See also

Meta Platforms

Instagram

WhatsApp

Social media

Online advertising

External links

• Facebook — official site
• Meta Newsroom
• Transparency Center — Community Standards
• Terms of Service
• Investor Relations
• Help Center
• Facebook for Business