Facebook

Facebook is a social networking platform that enables users to create profiles, connect with friends, share content, and interact through features such as the News Feed, reactions, comments, and sharing. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg along with Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz while students at Harvard University. Initially limited to college networks, it opened to the general public in 2006 and gradually expanded to users worldwide. In 2021 the corporate parent changed its name from Facebook, Inc. to Meta Platforms, Inc., while the Facebook service continued to operate under the Facebook brand.

Users can customize profiles, post text, photos, videos, and links; interact via comments and likes; join Groups; like Pages for organizations; use Messenger for private messaging; and explore additional features such as Marketplace, Events, and live streaming. The platform also acts as a platform for developers and advertisers, offering a developer ecosystem and advertising tools.

Facebook generates most of its revenue from advertising, selling targeted ads across its apps and services, aided by user data and engagement metrics. The service reaches billions of people worldwide and is one of the largest social networks by user base, alongside its sister apps Instagram and WhatsApp, which Facebook/Meta acquired in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

Facebook has faced scrutiny over privacy, data handling, and content moderation. Notable incidents include the Cambridge Analytica data scandal in 2018 and ongoing regulatory probes in multiple jurisdictions. Meta has implemented privacy controls, data protections, and content policies in response, while continuing to develop new products and technologies, including virtual reality and metaverse initiatives.