Summary

Mark Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, and grew up in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Zuckerberg displayed an early interest in technology and coding and was considered a programming prodigy. While attending Harvard University, he launched Facemash, the precursor to Facebook. In 2005, he dropped out of Harvard University to focus on the development of what we now know as Facebook. Today, Zuckerberg is considered one of the most influential figures in technology, having revolutionised social networking with Facebook and the creation of the Metaverse.

Personal Information

Key Achievements & Major Timelines

• 2004: While a student at Harvard University, Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook with Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Facebook was initially limited to college students, however, it rapidly expanded and became a global phenomenon.
• 2005: Accel Partners invested $12.7mn, enabling Facebook to grow and improve.
• 2010: Time Magazine named Zuckerberg the Time Person of the Year.
• 2012: Facebook went public and raised $16 Billion through its historic initial public offering (IPO). That same year, Zuckerberg married Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and philanthropist.
• 2015: Zuckerberg and Chan launched the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges and build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone. They pledged to donate 99% of their Facebook shares to charitable purposes.
• 2021: Facebook was rebranded to Meta Platforms which signaled a pivot towards the Metaverse— an immersive digital experience that combines augmented and virtual reality technologies.

Challenges & Controversies

Cambridge Analytica Scandal (2018): Facebook faced heavy backlash after it was revealed that data from millions of users had been improperly accessed and used for political advertising. Due to this, Zuckerberg had to testify before the US Congress, during which he committed to improve data security and transparency.

Competition and Antitrust: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other global regulatory bodies have scrutinised Meta’s acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp for potential antitrust violations.

In 2017, at a commencement speech in Harvard, Zuckerberg called for action to stop global warming. However, seven years later, he purchased a $300 million diesel-powered mega-yacht named Launchpad. The yacht has drawn criticism for its carbon emissions, with many accusing Zuckerberg of hypocrisy for contradicting his earlier statements about addressing climate change.