How Was Facebook Really Started?
In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard dormitory buddies changed the way people interact socially – forever. But what is the story behind the development of the world’s most popular social networking website? How was Facebook really started?
The Earliest Days of Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg started laying the foundation stones for what’s become today’s leading digital platform in 1999. At the age of 16, he co-developed an online software program, Synapse Media Player. It was an artificial intelligence program that used algorithms to learn music preferences from user activities on the platform. The product caught the attention of notable tech companies such as Microsoft and AOL, and although he was offered jobs from these tech giants, Zuckerberg turned them all down, wanting to focus on furthering his studies in Harvard.
In the fall of 2003, roughly four years later, Zuckerberg launched the Facemash website. It was a website he developed to enable students of Harvard to rank their peers according to attractiveness. It was essentially a “hot or not” type of game, and it spread across the campus like wildfire, instantly becoming popular. Even though the site was eventually shut down due to breach of Harvard rules, it was the basis of what was to become the most popular social media platform of the world.
The Key Players and Initative Behind the Creation of Facebook
Facemash inspired Mark Zuckerberg to start working on the Facebook project, and the excitement surrounding the concept began to turn into reality in January of 2004. Mark Zuckerberg and a few others began working on the project, among them Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz.
Saverin and Zuckerberg had been friends since high school and Saverin provided most of the financial resources for the Facebook project. Andrew McCollum was the graphics designer who put together all the visuals for the platform. Alec, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz were roommates and Zuckerberg’s close friends. They provided their time, expertise and website development guidance to help launch Facebook.
Mark Zuckerberg was the genius behind the development and coding of the site, while Dustin Moskovitz focused on the programming language and took over as CTO (Chief Technical Officer) after the launch. Their efforts, along with the financial contributions of Saverin and McCollum, were integral to the launch of Facebook.
A Timeline of Events Leading to the Launch of Facebook
In February 2004, the team got a subdomain from Harvard and the site was officially launched. The main pages of the site incorporated the three key concepts of the Facebook concept- user profiles, friend networks, and a news feed.
However, the concept of “friending”– the ability to connect with more than just the specified network of student undergraduates — was introduced only in the summer of 2004.
The launch of the first version of Facebook, Thefacebook, officially happened in March 2004. It was first launched only in Harvard, but it very soon opened up to other college campuses such as Yale, Stanford and Columbia universities.
Initially, the intention of TheFacebook was to act as an online directory and hub for connecting college students across the nation. This drove more and more college students to become members and interact on the site, and very soon it was evident that the website was no longer just a directory- it had become a vibrant online meeting point.
In September and October of the same year, the site opened up to employees and students from high schools. The platform grew to include a wide range of high school students and it became the go-to-place for teenager’s social activities.
Due to the rapid growth, the founders dropped “The” from the name and Facebook became the platform we know today. Soon enough, it was opened up to everyone beyond the campuses, thus launching the phenomenal success that is today’s Facebook.
Key Milestones of Facebook’s Success
Throughout the early years, Facebook experienced a number of key milestones to expand its reach and grow its platform:
2005: Facebook opened up to the public on September 26, 2005. They also began to attract more investors, with venture capital group Accel Partners investing $12 million in the platform.
2006: The giant social media platform crossed the 6 million user mark, with Google becoming one of its key competitors.
2007: Facebook launched its Ads platform, as well as its social game timeline.
2008: Facebook Open Platform was launched, as well as the redesigned Profile page.
2009: Communication on the platform was made more direct with the launch of the “Like” feature, along with the introduction of Facebook Pages for businesses.
2010: Facebook launched its location-based service ‘Places’ and later, the revolutionary feature ‘Groups’. This is the same year Facebook crossed the 500 million active user mark.
2011: Facebook introducing its platform for mobile App developers and also launched its video chat service named ‘Skype.’
2012: Facebook went public, and this same year, the company acquired photo-sharing service Instagram for $1 billion.
2014: Facebook acquired virtual reality company Oculus VR and messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion.
2016: Facebook officially became the most valuable listed company in the US, surpassing the previous titleholder, Google.
2018: The number of daily Facebook users exceeded the 1.5 billion mark.
The numbers speak for themselves. By 2018, Facebook had surpassed two extremely important benchmarks- 2.2 billion monthly active users and 1.5 billion daily active users, making it one of the most popular digital platforms of the world.
Facebook has come a long way since its beginnings as Facemash, and it continues to evolve, making a lasting impact on our everyday lives. While the debate about privacy and its negative effects on society continue, one thing is for certain—Facebook has undeniably revolutionized the way we interact and stay connected.