History
Facebook, originally named "Thefacebook", was founded by Zuckerberg in February 2004 while he was a student at Harvard. The platform was initially limited to Harvard students, but quickly expanded to other Ivy League universities, and eventually to all universities in the United States and Canada. In 2006, the site was opened to anyone over the age of 13 with a valid email address.
Features
Facebook offers a variety of features that allow users to interact and share content. These include the News Feed, where users can view updates from their friends and pages they follow, and the ability to post status updates, photos, and videos. Users can also use Facebook Messenger, a standalone app for instant messaging, voice and video calls. Other features include Groups, where users can create and join communities of people with similar interests, and Events, which allows users to organize and attend gatherings.
User base
As of 2021, Facebook has more than 2.8 billion monthly active users, making it the most popular social networking site in the world. The platform is particularly popular in North America, Europe, and Asia, but has a presence in virtually every country. Facebook's user base is diverse, spanning all age groups, with a slight majority of users being female.
Business model
Facebook's primary source of revenue is advertising. Businesses can create targeted ads that appear in users' News Feeds, based on information that Facebook collects about its users' interests, demographics, and online behavior. In addition to advertising, Facebook also generates revenue through its virtual currency, Facebook Credits, which users can purchase to buy virtual goods in games and other apps on the platform.
Privacy and security
Facebook has faced numerous controversies and criticisms regarding its handling of user data and privacy. These include the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, in which it was revealed that the data of millions of Facebook users had been harvested without their consent for political advertising. Facebook has implemented several changes to its privacy settings and data practices in response to these controversies, but concerns remain about the extent of the platform's data collection and its implications for user privacy.
Impact and influence
Facebook has had a significant impact on society and culture. It has changed the way people communicate and share information, and has been credited with facilitating social movements, such as the Arab Spring and the Black Lives Matter movement. However, it has also been criticized for its role in spreading misinformation and fake news, and for its potential to create echo chambers, where users are exposed primarily to views that align with their own.