Facebook is one of the most influential technology companies in modern history, reshaping how billions of people communicate, share information, and build communities online. Since its creation in a Harvard dorm room, the platform has grown into a global social media powerhouse under its parent company, Meta Platforms, Inc. Understanding when Facebook was founded and how it evolved offers critical insight into the rise of social networking and the broader evolution of the internet economy.
TLDR: Facebook was founded on February 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard roommates. What started as a university-only social network quickly expanded to colleges, then the general public, and eventually the entire world. Over the years, Facebook reached major user milestones—from one million users in 2004 to nearly three billion monthly active users today. Its growth has been marked by strategic acquisitions, product innovation, and global expansion.
When Was Facebook Founded?
Facebook was officially launched on February 4, 2004. The platform was created by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Initially called “TheFacebook”, the website was designed exclusively for Harvard students to connect and share information.
Within 24 hours of launch, more than 1,000 Harvard students had registered. It quickly became clear that the concept of a digital social directory—or “facebook,” inspired by printed student directories distributed by universities—had enormous potential.
The Early Years: 2004–2006
Expansion to Universities
After its initial success at Harvard, Facebook expanded to other Ivy League universities within weeks. By mid-2004, it was available at most major U.S. colleges and universities. The growth was largely organic, fueled by word-of-mouth and the exclusivity of requiring a university email address.
Key milestones during this phase include:
- March 2004: Expanded to Stanford, Columbia, and Yale.
- June 2004: Reached 250,000 users.
- December 2004: Surpassed 1 million users.
The company incorporated in 2004 and relocated operations to Palo Alto, California. That same year, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel invested $500,000 for a 10.2% stake, providing critical early capital.
Dropping “The” and Opening Access
In 2005, the company purchased the domain name Facebook.com for $200,000 and formally dropped “The” from its name. That decision reflected ambitions beyond college campuses.
In September 2005, Facebook expanded to high schools. Then in September 2006, a pivotal shift occurred: Facebook opened registration to anyone aged 13 or older with a valid email address. This move transformed the platform from a campus network into a global social media service.
Rapid Growth and Global Adoption: 2007–2012
Between 2007 and 2012, Facebook transitioned from a fast-growing startup into a dominant force in the tech industry. Several landmark developments fueled its expansion.
Platform and Developer Ecosystem
In 2007, Facebook launched the Facebook Platform, enabling third-party developers to build applications and games. This led to viral successes like FarmVille, which drove massive engagement.
Major User Milestones
- August 2008: 100 million active users
- July 2010: 500 million active users
- September 2012: 1 billion monthly active users
The leap from 100 million to 1 billion users in just four years remains one of the fastest expansions in corporate history.
Introduction of the News Feed and Like Button
Two product innovations dramatically boosted engagement:
- 2006: Introduction of the News Feed
- 2009: Launch of the Like button
The News Feed centralized updates from friends into a single stream, becoming Facebook’s defining feature. The Like button simplified user interaction and generated data that later powered sophisticated advertising systems.
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
On May 18, 2012, Facebook went public on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol FB. The IPO valued the company at approximately $104 billion, making it one of the largest tech IPOs in history at the time. Although early trading was volatile, the company would later solidify its economic dominance.
Acquisitions That Shaped Facebook’s Future
A critical driver of Facebook’s continued growth was strategic acquisition. Rather than relying solely on internal development, the company purchased emerging competitors and complementary platforms.
- 2012: Instagram acquired for $1 billion
- 2014: WhatsApp acquired for $19 billion
- 2014: Oculus VR acquired for $2 billion
These acquisitions helped Facebook:
- Expand into photo-sharing (Instagram)
- Strengthen global messaging (WhatsApp)
- Enter virtual reality (Oculus)
Today, Instagram and WhatsApp collectively serve billions of users, significantly contributing to Meta’s ecosystem.
Mobile Transition and Advertising Dominance
One of Facebook’s most important strategic pivots occurred in the early 2010s: the transition to mobile. As smartphones became widespread, user behavior shifted dramatically away from desktop computers.
Initially, Facebook struggled to monetize mobile traffic. However, by 2014:
- Mobile advertising accounted for over 60% of ad revenue.
- Daily mobile users surpassed desktop-only users.
Today, the vast majority of Facebook’s revenue comes from mobile advertising. The company built a highly sophisticated advertising platform using user data, targeted placements, and algorithmic optimization.
User Growth Statistics Over Time
Facebook’s growth has been extraordinary by nearly any metric. Below is a chronological overview of key user milestones:
- 2004: 1 million users
- 2008: 100 million users
- 2010: 500 million users
- 2012: 1 billion users
- 2015: 1.5 billion users
- 2017: 2 billion users
- 2021: 2.91 billion monthly active users
- 2024–2025: Approximately 3 billion monthly active users
These figures make Facebook one of the largest social networks in human history. For comparison, it has more users than the population of any single country.
Controversies and Challenges
No comprehensive history of Facebook is complete without acknowledging the controversies that have shaped its public perception.
Privacy Concerns
Facebook has faced repeated scrutiny over data privacy practices. The most notable case was the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, where data from millions of users was improperly accessed for political advertising purposes.
Misinformation and Content Moderation
The platform has also struggled with misinformation, election interference, and harmful content. These challenges have prompted regulatory investigations in the United States, the European Union, and other regions.
Regulatory Pressure
Governments worldwide continue to debate whether social media giants like Facebook require stricter oversight due to their scale and societal influence.
Rebranding to Meta
In October 2021, Facebook, Inc. rebranded as Meta Platforms, Inc. The move signaled a broader corporate focus beyond social networking, particularly toward building the “metaverse,” a persistent digital environment combining virtual reality, augmented reality, and social interaction.
Importantly, while the corporate name changed to Meta, the Facebook platform retained its original name.
Why Facebook’s Founding Matters
The founding of Facebook in 2004 marked a turning point in internet history. It demonstrated that:
- Online identity could mirror real-world identity.
- Digital networking could scale globally at unprecedented speed.
- Data-driven advertising could become one of the most profitable business models ever developed.
From a dorm room prototype to a multinational corporation generating tens of billions in annual revenue, Facebook’s trajectory reflects the broader transformation of the internet from a collection of websites into a deeply integrated social infrastructure.
Conclusion
Facebook was founded on February 4, 2004, as a small, university-exclusive website. Within two decades, it grew into a platform serving nearly three billion monthly active users worldwide. Along the way, it introduced groundbreaking features like the News Feed and Like button, acquired transformative companies such as Instagram and WhatsApp, and became a dominant force in digital advertising.
Its history is marked by innovation, explosive user growth, massive financial success, and significant controversy. Whether viewed as a technological triumph or a complex societal force, Facebook’s founding represents one of the most consequential moments in modern digital history.
From a Harvard dormitory to a global technology empire, Facebook’s origin story remains a defining chapter in the evolution of social media and the internet itself.
