Facebook
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the social networking service. For the type of directory, see face book.
Facebook, Inc.
Facebook New Logo (2015).svg
Screenshot [show]
Type of business	Public
Type of site
Social networking service
Available in	Multilingual (140)
Traded as	
NASDAQ: FB
NASDAQ-100 Component
S&P 100 Component
S&P 500 Component
Founded	February 4, 2004; 12 years ago
Headquarters	Menlo Park, California, U.S.
Coordinates	37.4848°N 122.1484°WCoordinates: 37.4848°N 122.1484°W
Area served	United States (2004–05)
Worldwide, except blocking countries (2005–present)
Owner	Mark Zuckerberg (53%)[1]
Founder(s)	
Mark Zuckerberg
Eduardo Saverin
Andrew McCollum
Dustin Moskovitz
Chris Hughes
Key people	Mark Zuckerberg
(Chairman and CEO)
Sheryl Sandberg
(COO)
Industry	Internet
Revenue	Increase US$17.928 billion (2015)[2]
Operating income	Increase US$6.225 billion (2015)[2]
Net income	Increase US$3.688 billion (2015)[2]
Total assets	Increase US$49.407 billion (2015)[2]
Total equity	Increase US$44.218 billion (2015)[2]
Employees	15,724 (September 30, 2016)[3]
Subsidiaries	Messenger
Instagram
WhatsApp
Oculus VR
Website	www.facebook.com or
www.fb.com
Alexa rank	Steady 3 (December 2016)[4]
Registration	Required
Users	Increase 1.79 billion monthly active users (September 30, 2016)[3]
Current status	Active
Written in	C++, PHP (as HHVM)[5] and D language[6]
Facebook is an American for-profit corporation and online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park, California, United States. The Facebook website was launched on February 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes.[7][8][9]

The founders had initially limited the website's membership to Harvard students; however, later they expanded it to higher education institutions in the Boston area, the Ivy League schools, and Stanford University. Facebook gradually added support for students at various other universities, and eventually to high school students as well. Since 2006, anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook, though variations exist in the minimum age requirement, depending on applicable local laws.[10] The Facebook name comes from the face book directories often given to United States university students.[11]