History of Mark Zuckerberg in Timeline
Mark Zuckerberg is an American businessman best known as the co-founder, chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). He launched Facebook, a social media platform that grew into a global phenomenon. Zuckerberg's leadership has been marked by both success and controversy, facing lawsuits related to the website's creation, ownership, and user privacy concerns. He remains a prominent figure in the technology industry.
1934: Communications Act
In 1934, the Communications Act of 1934 was enacted and in 2020, US Republicans argued that Section 230 of the Communications Act unduly protected social media companies against allegations of anti-conservative censorship.
May 14, 1984: Mark Zuckerberg Born
On May 14, 1984, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born. He is an American businessman and co-founder of Facebook and Meta Platforms.
1984: Publication of Hackers
In 1984, Steven Levy wrote the book Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.
2002: Zuckerberg at Harvard
In 2002, Mark Zuckerberg began classes at Harvard, already known as a "programming prodigy." He wrote CourseMatch and Facemash programs.
2002: Registered to Vote in Westchester County, New York
In 2002, Zuckerberg registered to vote in Westchester County, New York.
April 28, 2003: Contract Signed with Ceglia
On April 28, 2003, Paul Ceglia claimed that he and Zuckerberg signed a contract where an initial fee of $1,000 entitled Ceglia to 50% of the website's revenue, as well as an additional 1% interest in the business per day after January 1, 2004, until website completion.
2003: Met Priscilla Chan
In 2003, Zuckerberg met Priscilla Chan at a frat party during his sophomore year at Harvard, and they began dating.
January 1, 2004: Domain Registration and Interest Accumulation
On January 1, 2004, Zuckerberg registered the domain name thefacebook.com. Also on this day, according to Paul Ceglia's claim, an additional 1% interest in Facebook accumulated per day after January 1, 2004, until website completion.
January 2004: Zuckerberg begins writing code for Facebook
In January 2004, Mark Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website that would eventually become Facebook.
February 4, 2004: Thefacebook Launch
On February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com, in partnership with his roommates.
February 2004: Launch of i2hub
A month after Facebook launched in February 2004, i2hub, a campus-only service focusing on peer-to-peer file sharing, was launched by Wayne Chang.
February 2004: Facebook Launched
In February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, along with roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, launched Facebook while at Harvard College.
August 2004: Wirehog Launch
In August 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, along with Andrew McCollum, Adam D'Angelo, and Sean Parker, launched Wirehog, a competing peer-to-peer file sharing service.
2004: ConnectU Lawsuit Filed
In 2004, Harvard students Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra filed a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg, accusing him of stealing their social network idea called HarvardConnection.com, later known as ConnectU.
2004: Move to Palo Alto
In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on Facebook, moved to Palo Alto with co-founders, met Peter Thiel, and secured their first office.
2005: Saverin Lawsuit
In 2005, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin filed a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, alleging that Zuckerberg had illegally spent Saverin's money on personal expenses. The lawsuit was settled out of court, Saverin's title as co-founder was affirmed, and Saverin agreed to stop talking to the press.
March 28, 2007: ConnectU Lawsuit Dismissal
On March 28, 2007, the lawsuit filed by Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra against Mark Zuckerberg was initially dismissed on a technicality.
November 2007: Confidential Documents Posted Online
In November 2007, confidential court documents, including Mark Zuckerberg's Social Security number and personal addresses, were posted on the website of 02138 magazine.
2007: Facebook Platform Applications Launched
In 2007, Facebook Platform applications were launched. Wirehog, was a precursor to them.
2007: Zuckerberg on Creating Open Information Flow
In 2007, Mark Zuckerberg explained that the most important thing for him and his colleagues was to create an open information flow for people.
2007: MIT Technology Review TR35 List
In 2007, Mark Zuckerberg was added to MIT Technology Review's TR35 list as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35.
June 25, 2008: ConnectU Lawsuit Settled
On June 25, 2008, the lawsuit between Harvard students Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra, who accused Mark Zuckerberg of stealing their idea, and Facebook was settled, with Facebook agreeing to transfer shares and pay $20 million in cash.
November 2008: Cast Ballot for the first time
In November 2008, Zuckerberg cast his first ballot in Westchester County, New York.
2008: Named One of the Most Influential People by Time
In 2008, Time magazine named Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2008: Youngest Self-Made Billionaire
In 2008, at the age of 23, Mark Zuckerberg became the world's youngest self-made billionaire.
April 2009: Zuckerberg Seeks Advice from Peter Currie
In April 2009, Mark Zuckerberg sought the advice of former Netscape CFO Peter Currie regarding financing strategies for Facebook.
2009: Vanity Fair 100 List Ranking
In 2009, Mark Zuckerberg ranked number 23 on the Vanity Fair 100 list.
June 2010: Criminal Investigation Launched and Ceglia Lawsuit
In June 2010, Muhammad Azhar Sidiqque, the Pakistani Deputy Attorney General, launched a criminal investigation into Zuckerberg and Facebook co-founders after a "Draw Muhammad" contest was hosted on Facebook. Also in June 2010, Paul Ceglia filed suit against Zuckerberg, claiming 84 percent ownership of Facebook.
June 2010: Ceglia Lawsuit Filed
In June 2010, Paul Ceglia filed suit against Zuckerberg, claiming 84 percent ownership of Facebook and seeking monetary damages.
July 21, 2010: Facebook Reaches 500 Million Users
On July 21, 2010, Mark Zuckerberg reported that Facebook had reached the 500-million-user mark.
September 2010: $100 Million Donation to Newark Public Schools
In September 2010, Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million to Newark Public Schools, the public school system of Newark, New Jersey.
September 2010: Chan Moved into Zuckerberg's House
In September 2010, Priscilla Chan, then a medical student, moved into Zuckerberg's rented house in Palo Alto, California.
September 2010: Booker Obtains US$100 Million Pledge from Zuckerberg
In September 2010, with the support of Governor Chris Christie, Booker obtained a US$100 million pledge from Zuckerberg to Newark Public Schools.
October 1, 2010: Release of The Social Network
On October 1, 2010, The Social Network, a movie based on Zuckerberg and the founding years of Facebook, was released, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg wished that nobody made a movie of him while he was still alive.
October 3, 2010: Voice Acting on The Simpsons
On October 3, 2010, Mark Zuckerberg voiced himself on an episode of The Simpsons titled "Loan-a Lisa".
October 9, 2010: Lampooned on Saturday Night Live
On October 9, 2010, Saturday Night Live lampooned Zuckerberg and Facebook. Andy Samberg portrayed Zuckerberg.
October 30, 2010: "Medal of Fear" Awarded by Stephen Colbert
On October 30, 2010, Stephen Colbert awarded a "Medal of Fear" to Mark Zuckerberg at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, "because he values his privacy much more than he values yours".
2010: Signing The Giving Pledge
In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett signed The Giving Pledge, in which they said they would donate to charity at least half of their wealth over the course of time.
2010: Zuckerberg on Hacking
In 2010, Steven Levy wrote that Zuckerberg "clearly thinks of himself as a hacker" and Zuckerberg stated that "it's OK to break things" to make them better.
2010: The Social Network Film Release
In 2010, The Social Network, a film depicting Mark Zuckerberg's early career, legal troubles, and initial success with Facebook, was released and won multiple Academy Awards.
2010: Named Time Person of the Year
In 2010, Zuckerberg was named Time Person of the Year, the same year when Facebook surpassed half a billion users.
2010: Vanity Fair's Top 100 List
Vanity Fair magazine named Mark Zuckerberg number 1 on its 2010 list of the Top 100 "most influential people of the Information Age".
January 2011: Surprise Guest Appearance on SNL
In January 2011, Mark Zuckerberg made a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. Zuckerberg replied, "It was interesting," when Eisenberg asked him what he thought of the movie 'The Social Network'.
January 16, 2011: Golden Globe Award for The Social Network
On January 16, 2011, upon winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture, producer Scott Rudin thanked Facebook and Zuckerberg "for his willingness to allow us to use his life and work as a metaphor through which to tell a story about communication and the way we relate to each other".
2011: Kirkpatrick's Assessment of The Social Network
In 2011, David Kirkpatrick, author of 'The Facebook Effect', assessed the film 'The Social Network', stating that "the film is only 40% true".
2011: Facebook First Participated in LGBT Pride Celebration
In 2011, Facebook first participated in the annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration with 70 employees.
2011: Named One of the Most Influential People by Time
In 2011, Time magazine named Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2011: Advice from Steve Jobs
In a 2011 interview with PBS shortly after Steve Jobs' death, Mark Zuckerberg said that Jobs had advised him on creating a management team focused on building high-quality things at Facebook.
May 2012: Facebook Goes Public
In May 2012, Mark Zuckerberg took Facebook public, retaining majority shares.
May 19, 2012: Married Priscilla Chan
On May 19, 2012, Zuckerberg married Priscilla Chan in his mansion's grounds, coinciding with her medical school graduation.
October 26, 2012: Ceglia's Arrest
On October 26, 2012, federal authorities arrested Paul Ceglia, charging him with mail and wire fraud and of "tampering with, destroying and fabricating evidence in a scheme to defraud the Facebook founder of billions of dollars".
December 2012: Pledge to Donate Majority of Wealth
In December 2012, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan said that over the course of their lives they would give the majority of their wealth to "advancing human potential and promoting equality" in the spirit of The Giving Pledge.
December 2012: Donated 18 Million Shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation
In December 2012, Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to support education.
2012: Voted in General Elections
In 2012, Zuckerberg voted in the general elections.
February 2013: Hosted Fundraising Event for Chris Christie
In February 2013, Zuckerberg hosted his first fundraising event for then New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to support education reform.
April 6, 2013: Home Promotional Campaign Exposure
On April 6, 2013, Rebecca Van Dyck, Facebook's head of consumer marketing, said that 85 million American Facebook users were exposed to the first day of the Home promotional campaign.
April 11, 2013: Launched FWD.us Lobbying Group
On April 11, 2013, Zuckerberg launched FWD.us, a lobbying group focused on immigration reform and education, but it faced criticism for supporting oil and gas development initiatives.
June 2013: Joined Facebook Employees at Pride Celebration
In June 2013, Zuckerberg joined Facebook employees in a company float as part of the annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration. The number of employees participating had increased from 70 in 2011 to 700 in 2013.
June 20, 2013: Engaged with Facebook Users on FWD.us Video
On June 20, 2013, Zuckerberg responded to claims about FWD.us on his Facebook profile, emphasizing the need for fair treatment of undocumented immigrants.
August 19, 2013: Zuckerberg's Facebook Profile Hacked
On August 19, 2013, The Washington Post reported that Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook profile was hacked by an unemployed web developer.
September 2013: Commented on PRISM Scandal at TechCrunch Disrupt
In September 2013, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Zuckerberg commented on the mid-2013 PRISM scandal, stating that the U.S. government "blew it" regarding the protection of citizens' freedoms and the economy.
September 2013: Internet Coverage Expansion Goal
In September 2013, at the TechCrunch conference, Mark Zuckerberg raised the goal that he was working towards expanding Internet coverage into developing countries.
December 2013: Donation to Silicon Valley Community Foundation
In December 2013, Mark Zuckerberg announced a donation of 18 million Facebook shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, totaling $990 million in value. This was recognized as the largest charitable gift on public record for that year.
2013: Appearance in Terms and Conditions May Apply
In 2013, Mark Zuckerberg appeared in the climax of the documentary film Terms and Conditions May Apply.
2013: Launch of Internet.org
In 2013, Mark Zuckerberg launched Internet.org, an initiative to provide Internet access to the five billion people without it.
October 2014: $25 Million Donation to Combat Ebola
In October 2014, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife donated $25 million to combat the Ebola virus disease, specifically the West African Ebola virus epidemic.
October 23, 2014: Q&A Session at Tsinghua University
On October 23, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg participated in a Q&A session at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, speaking in Mandarin Chinese.
December 11, 2014: Live Q&A Session at Facebook Headquarters
On December 11, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg fielded questions during a live Q&A session at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, addressing the value of Facebook.
2014: Land Purchase in Kauaʻi
In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg purchased 700 acres of land on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi.
February 2015: Endowment to San Francisco General Hospital
In February 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife endowed the foundation of the San Francisco General Hospital with $75 million, resulting in the hospital renaming itself as The Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
July 2015: Announced Pregnancy and Past Miscarriages
In July 2015, Zuckerberg announced that he and Chan were expecting a baby girl and revealed their past struggles with miscarriages.
November 2015: Paris Attacks
In November 2015, the Paris attacks took place. In response to the aftermath of the attacks, Zuckerberg expressed support for Muslims in the community and around the world.
December 1, 2015: Pledge to Transfer Facebook Shares to CZI
On December 1, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife pledged to transfer 99% of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).
December 9, 2015: Expressed Support for Muslims on Facebook
On December 9, 2015, Zuckerberg posted a statement on his Facebook wall expressing support for Muslims following the November 2015 Paris attacks and the 2015 San Bernardino attack, emphasizing Facebook's inclusivity.
December 2015: Birth of First Daughter
In December 2015, Zuckerberg and Chan's first daughter was born.
2015: Shooting took place in Mother Emanuel
In 2015, a shooting took place in Mother Emanuel. In 2017, Zuckerberg and his wife began a nationwide tour and spoke at Mother Emanuel.
February 24, 2016: Rebuked Employees for Overwriting "Black Lives Matter" Phrases
On February 24, 2016, Zuckerberg sent an internal memo rebuking Facebook employees for crossing out "Black Lives Matter" phrases and replacing them with "All Lives Matter", considering it disrespectful and malicious.
June 2016: Top 10 Business Visionaries
In June 2016, Business Insider named Mark Zuckerberg one of the "Top 10 Business Visionaries Creating Value for the World" and he pledged to give away 99% of their wealth.
December 2016: Ranked Tenth on Forbes List of World's Most Powerful People
In December 2016, Zuckerberg was ranked tenth on the Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful People.
2016: Breakthrough Starshot Board Member
In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg became a board member of the solar sail spacecraft development project Breakthrough Starshot, which he co-founded with Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking.
2016: Named One of the Most Influential People by Time
In 2016, Time magazine named Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2016: Stated Religion is Very Important
In 2016, Zuckerberg, who was raised in a Reform Jewish household and later identified himself as an atheist, said that he now believes religion is very important.
2016: CZI Gave $600 Million to Create Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
In 2016, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) donated $600 million to establish the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a tax-exempt charity focused on collaborative research in San Francisco. Unlike other foundations, Biohub retained the right to commercialize its funded research, while encouraging open-source discoveries. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zuckerberg announced $25 million in grants for local journalism and $75 million in Facebook advertisement purchases in local newspapers.
January 2017: Lawsuits Against Native Hawaiians
In January 2017, Mark Zuckerberg filed eight "quiet title and partition" lawsuits against hundreds of native Hawaiians to claim small tracts of land that they owned within his acreage. These lawsuits were later dropped.
January 2017: Criticized Trump's Executive Order on Immigration
In January 2017, Zuckerberg criticized Donald Trump's executive order limiting immigration and refugees from some countries.
May 25, 2017: Honorary Degree from Harvard
On May 25, 2017, at Harvard's 366th commencement day, Mark Zuckerberg received an honorary degree from Harvard after giving a commencement speech.
August 2017: Birth of Second Daughter
In August 2017, Zuckerberg and Chan welcomed their second daughter.
2017: Began Nationwide Tour
In 2017, Zuckerberg and his wife began a nationwide tour "to visit every state in the union and learn more about a sliver of the nearly two billion people who regularly use the social network". He met with farmers and business owners, and spoke at Mother Emanuel, where a shooting took place in 2015.
2017: Called for Action to Stop Global Warming in Speech
In 2017, Zuckerberg called for action to stop global warming in a commencement speech at Harvard University. Seven years later, he purchased the mega-yacht Launchpad (formerly Project 1010) for $300 million. That same year, he put the yacht into operation; it emits 40 tons of carbon dioxide per hour.
2018: Testimony Before the United States Senate Committee
In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg testified before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation regarding the usage of personal data by Facebook in relation to the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
2019: Named One of the Most Influential People by Time
In 2019, Time magazine named Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
October 1, 2020: US Senate Committee Vote for Subpoenas
On October 1, 2020, the US Senate Commerce Committee unanimously voted to issue subpoenas to Zuckerberg, Google's Sundar Pichai and Twitter's Jack Dorsey to testify about the legal immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934.
2020: Funded State-Level Ballot Initiative to Alter California's Proposition 13
In 2020, Zuckerberg funded a state-level ballot initiative to alter California's Proposition 13, aiming to raise taxes by requiring market-rate tax assessments for commercial and industrial properties.
2020: Criticism of Hospital Renaming
In 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a non-binding measure condemning the renaming of San Francisco General Hospital, arguing that it should not be named after an individual whose social media platform is accused of "endangering public health, spreading misinformation, and violating privacy".
January 6, 2021: Attack on the US Capitol Building
On January 6, 2021, the attack on the US Capitol Building took place. Zuckerberg was questioned about Facebook's role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol Building, during his testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 25, 2021.
March 25, 2021: Testimony Before House Committee
On March 25, 2021, Mark Zuckerberg testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding Facebook's role in the spread of misinformation and hate speech on the platform. He was questioned about Facebook's handling of user data, its role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol Building, and its efforts to combat misinformation and hate speech.
2022: Zuckerberg starts MMA and BJJ training
In 2022, Mark Zuckerberg began training in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), publicly expressing his enthusiasm for these sports.
March 2023: Welcomed Their Third Daughter
In March 2023, Zuckerberg and his wife welcomed their third daughter, announcing the news across his social media pages.
May 6, 2023: Zuckerberg wins medals in BJJ tournament
On May 6, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg participated in a BJJ tournament and secured both a silver and a gold medal while competing at the white belt level in both gi and no gi categories.
July 2023: Zuckerberg promoted to blue belt in BJJ
In July 2023, Dave Camarillo promoted Mark Zuckerberg to blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
2023: Ranked Eighth on Forbes 400 List
In the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans in 2023, Zuckerberg was ranked eighth with a personal wealth of $106 billion.
January 2024: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
In January 2024, Mark Zuckerberg testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety and social media platforms, Zuckerberg apologized to the families of children who were victims of online abuse and harm.
August 2024: Regretted Not Resisting Pressure to Censor COVID-19 Content
In August 2024, Zuckerberg stated he regretted not doing more to resist pressure from the Biden administration to censor content related to COVID-19. By 2024, Zuckerberg was discouraging employee activism at Facebook, and according to The New York Times, had privately described his politics as leaning towards libertarianism or classical liberalism.
September 2024: Featured in Donald Trump's Book "Save America"
In September 2024, Donald Trump described Zuckerberg's visits to the White House in his book "Save America" and warned against illegal activities. In November, Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and Meta reportedly donated $1 million to a Trump-related fund.
October 2024: Became Second Richest Person in the World
In October 2024, Zuckerberg became the second richest person in the world.
December 2024: Net Worth Estimated at $219 Billion
As of December 2024, Zuckerberg's net worth was estimated at $219 billion by Forbes, making him the fourth richest person in the world.
2024: Sculpture of Priscilla Chan
In 2024, Zuckerberg commissioned the visual artist Daniel Arsham to build a 7-foot-tall sculpture of his wife, which was unveiled.
2024: Shifted Style
In 2024, Zuckerberg shifted his style from wearing the same gray shirt and jeans to gold chains and trendier streetwear. Writing for Vanity Fair, Kase Wickman described Zuckerberg's "new look" as a "MAGA rebrand", claiming that his change in fashion parallels Meta's efforts to appease the Trump administration.
January 2025: Praised the Trump Administration
In January 2025, Zuckerberg praised the Trump administration for prioritizing American technology companies.
March 2025: Attempted to Leverage Relationship for Antitrust Settlement
In March 2025, Zuckerberg attempted to leverage his relationship with the Trump administration to secure a favorable settlement in an antitrust case where the FTC was asking for $30 billion.
May 2025: Zuckerberg's Net Worth
According to Forbes, in May 2025, Mark Zuckerberg's estimated net worth was $221.2 billion, making him the second-richest individual in the world.
2025: Named One of the Most Influential People by Time
In 2025, Time magazine named Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
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