Facebook's history, the company's value, and the facts behind the social media giant's success
How Facebook took over
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/8c9cd0f1-fe28-478b-87c4-4250eeedc8ee-Justin SullivanGetty Images MZ.jpg)
It all started in a dorm room
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/29f4aa4e-5df0-46df-bb31-3ac10475a6e3-harvard.jpg)
The first attempt
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/c3705581-48a1-4b1a-9933-25b7ba64d5e5-hot or not.jpg)
What colour is that?
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a7b9d169-3c3d-4da7-9bd0-b8c07ad1b1f3-facebook blue.jpg)
College drop-out
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/523d8889-47e0-4c96-8292-d2f17aa181a3-college drop out.jpg)
Addictive from the beginning
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/5ee5c792-4f3a-474f-85b3-e17028e069b8-soaring user and name change.jpg)
Four days after it went live thefacebook.com had just 650 users. Just nine months after the launch, it had nearly one million active users. And less than a year later it changed its name to simply Facebook.com.
Discover how other famous companies got their names
Early investors
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/f20d8cd4-b20d-45f7-8bd8-aaec177d3497-OLD FACEBOOK.jpg)
The famous Facebook face revealed
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/d7f9abaf-7d73-4620-a229-234cb0784749-al pacino.jpg)
Covering its bases
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a35ef494-d329-4bae-a061-891e6ccdb171-domain name.jpg)
Welcoming hackers
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/4c6bc791-389c-4a94-8825-5703449dadda-hackers.jpg)
Hacked us? You’re hired
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/93539157-d516-4dcd-b109-81fab370a22d-chris putnam.jpg)
Unbelievable perks
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/5d23b821-5edf-4527-b18e-fba9a2827793-perks 2.jpg)
Get to work
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/545923b5-14a5-426f-beee-d7d875b647b1-company slogan 2.jpg)
Taking on the giants
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a4399e28-7e02-4d6d-8e3d-a659019af849-walmart.jpg)
Baby-faced billionaire
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/c87f0875-1c84-42c4-a48d-211d2fe5e8bf-mark-zuckerberg-headshot.jpg)
A massive pay cut
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/550ddde4-cd80-48be-b5e0-c909c4cc6e9e-Mark speaking.jpg)
Since 2013, Zuckerberg decided he’d only take home a $1 (77p) salary each year. His reasoning? He’s said he’s made enough money already. But don't feel too sorry for him. He raked in $23 billion (£17.9bn) in 2017 from share options.
Branching out
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a5b22e33-85b1-4d41-8f54-9268028e8158-apps.jpg)
Taking the bad with the good...
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/74b52ca6-e1e7-4963-8b04-b91e82d0f7f2-JIM WATSONAFPGetty Images.jpg)
Simple style
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/1643ef17-255b-4368-92ca-765a12c4fad2-Zuckerberg morning.jpg)
Doggone it
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/4af35c05-92dd-424e-8437-df916d7628d9-BEAST.jpg)
Facebook family
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/3b6c5c81-6886-45e3-891a-5b726f7794ac-ZUCKERBERG FAMILY.jpg)
Facebook facts: Don’t ignore Zuckerberg
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/b65897df-1c45-4cbd-a129-f11e29a516ec-block zuckerberg.jpg)
Facebook facts: Not so awesome
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/b5544c2f-5451-4435-924f-6fce6a422347-awesome button.jpg)
Facebook facts: All around the globe
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/7ddc5901-6d48-4052-bf0d-66fd1b80f318-users around the world.jpg)
Facebook facts: Millions of Chinese people use it even though it's banned
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/17502259-f59e-49c5-8781-becb72bf1668-china.jpg)
Facebook facts: We talk about the news
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/aac9865c-7e0c-4d7a-a0fd-c58a72e6377c-most talked about.jpg)
Facebook facts: Most popular movie
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/8c4452b2-e5f4-4d7b-bd08-690fb214b4f6-Stephen LovekinGetty Images.jpg)
Facebook facts: Bean on top
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/5fcbbc73-5a95-42c3-b5ad-4a1b520503b5-facebook-mr-bean.jpg)
Facebook facts: Her hips don’t lie
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a476cd30-5a67-4079-b4db-6128d146405a-Shakira.jpg)
Facebook facts: Profiles soaring
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/93dd3607-9dc3-4ddc-b8f8-bf161c32bafa-facebook-new-profile.jpg)
Facebook facts: Don't believe everything you see
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/0de540eb-af20-4545-843c-324a971f8611-facebook-fake.jpg)
Facebook facts: Friends in their hundreds
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a27b013b-fbd3-422d-ace4-8bba0f9619f8-By Jacob Lund.jpg)
Facebook facts: We like to say cheese online
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/91e492e1-0f0a-4ea8-bb74-ed99c791ab35-picture uploads.jpg)
Facebook facts: Have you got a minute?
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a2415f05-b340-4de6-9fe1-826e2e99d0e0-time spent on FB.jpg)
Facebook facts: Succession planning
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/fd0b635c-16da-48de-a627-0be94a818657-grave.jpg)
Zuckerberg has it written into his contract that, should he die while still running the company, the control may be transferred to a person or entity that he has chosen as his successor.
Find out why Mark Zuckerberg is one of a number of billionaires giving away their fortune to save the world
Facebook facts: Until Facebook do us part
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/0d360de2-6b8b-4857-8fff-beeacb89351a-divorce.jpg)
Facebook facts: Don’t worry, be happy
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/71e67316-483f-4e3a-8eba-6b5b2fc8e140-sad about facebook.jpg)
Facebook facts: Fighting extremism online
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/cb6e1ec4-a620-481e-81eb-b28e092e73d8-facebook-extremism.jpg)
The future of social media?
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/7abb5ba7-efc7-4c65-a027-46b1b3328ad9-GABRIEL BOUYSAFPGetty Images WHATSAPP.jpg)
After 15 years Facebook is still looking to grow. It has recently revealed that it plans to merge its apps in order to develop "the best messaging experiences". The idea of connecting Facebook Messenger with WhatsApp and Instagram messaging has shocked many who see it as posing a risk to privacy, but Zuckerberg has said that the merger is in the early stages and the earliest it could actually happen is 2020. Here's to the next stage of our Facebook lives...
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