Facebook: From Zero to 2.3 Billion in 15 Years - From Zero to 2.3 Billion in 15 Years

Published on: 4th February 2019 / update from: February 4, 2019 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

Facebook: From zero to 2.3 billion in 15 years

15 years ago, on February 4, 2004, 19-year-old Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, along with some of his classmates, started a small website called Thefacebook.

"TheFacebook is an online directory that connects people via social networks at universities," the original website welcomed its visitors at the time and explained that it would enable them to “find people at their school, to find out who in their classes [sic] to visit the friends of their friends and see a visualization of their social network”.

First limited to the campus in Harvard, the service quickly gained popularity and was then extended to other colleges. At the end of 2004, Thefacebook had more than 1 million registered users and the newly founded company behind it was not only moved to Silicon Valley, but also secured an investment of $ 500,000 from the PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. After the change to “Facebook” in 2005, the social network was open to the general public in autumn 2006 and marks the beginning of one of the most remarkable growth stories in the company's history.

Within three years it added 350 million users and in the summer of 2012 it became the first online service of its kind to reach 1 billion active users per month. By the end of 2018, that number had grown to 2.32 billion people, meaning more than half of the world's online population is using the platform dreamed up by a teenager in his college dorm room.

15 years ago, on February 4, 2004, 19-year-old Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, along with some of his classmates, launched a little website called Thefacebook.

“TheFacebook is an online directory that connects people through social networks at colleges”, the original website greeted its visitors back that, explaining that it would enable theme to “Search for People at your school, Find out? Friends and See a Visualization of your social network. ”

Confined to the Harvard Campus at First, The Service Quickly Gained Popularity and Was Subsequently Rolled Out To Other Colleges. By the end of 2004, Thefacebook Had more than 1 million registered users and the Newly-Founded Company Behind It Not only only silicon valley but so secured a $ 500,000 Investment from Pay-Founder Peter Thiel. After Changing Its Name to Just “Facebook” in 2005, The Social Network was Opened to the General Public in the Fall of 2006, Marking the Start of one of the Most Remarkable Growth Stories in Corporate History.

Within three years, the social network added 350 million users and in the summer of 2012, it became the first online service of its kind to reach 1 billion monthly active users. By the end of 2018, that number had grown to 2.32 billion people, meaning that more than half the world's online population is using the platform dreamed up by a teenager in his college dorm room.

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