Meta Platforms is an American technology company, known until 2021 as Facebook, Inc. It grew out of the social networking site that Mark Zuckerberg started at Harvard with fellow students including Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, and it expanded from universities to the general public around the world. The company bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, and also acquired the virtual-reality firm Oculus. It changed its name to Meta to reflect a focus on the metaverse, and it has since invested heavily in augmented reality and artificial intelligence. The company has faced criticism and regulation over privacy, misinformation and market dominance.
Before and after
- 21 June 2004Discovery of S/2004 S 4
- 21 June 2004Discovery of S/2004 S 3
- 1 July 2004Death of Marlon Brando
- 1 July 2004Cassini enters orbit around Saturn and Huygens lands on Titan
- 29 July 2004Founding of Meta Platforms
- 3 August 2004Launch of MESSENGER
- 5 August 2004Construction of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- 9 August 2004Release of OpenStreetMap
- 25 August 2004Discovery of Mu Arae c
More in Society, economy & sport
- 5 October 1948Founding of International Union for Conservation of Nature
- 5 May 1949Founding of Council of Europe
- 1960Founding of Somalia
- 1 October 1963Founding of Nigeria
- 1985Introduction of new shekel
- 1990Rise of K-pop
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 21st century.