Facebook social networking service

Facebook is a global social networking service founded in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard University roommates. Originally launched as 'TheFacebook', the platform was initially limited to university students before expanding to the general public in 2006. It quickly grew into the world's largest social network, revolutionizing how people communicate and share content online.

In October 2021, the parent company Facebook, Inc. rebranded to Meta Platforms, Inc. to reflect its strategic focus on developing the 'metaverse.' Today, Facebook operates as a core product under the Meta umbrella, alongside other major platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ and remains under the significant leadership and voting control of its founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

While Facebook is a digital service, its physical infrastructure consists of a massive global network of data centers. These facilities are primarily located in the United States, with international locations in countries such as Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, and Singapore. The proprietary hardware used in these centers is designed by Meta through the Open Compute Project and is manufactured by various global partners, including companies in Taiwan.