History of Mark Zuckerberg in Timeline

Mark Zuckerberg is an American businessman and programmer best known as the co-founder, chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). He played a pivotal role in developing Facebook into a global social media platform, influencing how billions connect and communicate. Zuckerberg's leadership has faced scrutiny regarding data privacy, content moderation, and the societal impact of social media. Despite controversies, he remains a prominent figure in the technology industry and a key player in shaping the future of the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1934: Reference to the Communications Act

In October 1, 2020, The US Senate Commerce Committee issued subpoenas to tech CEOs including Zuckerberg to discuss legal immunity afforded to tech platforms under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. The Act was established in 1934.

2002: Voter Registration

In 2002, Mark Zuckerberg registered to vote in Westchester County, New York.

November 2008: First Ballor Cast

In November 2008, Zuckerberg cast his first ballot.

2008: Named One of Time's Most Influential People

In 2008, Mark Zuckerberg was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

September 2010: Pledge to Newark Public Schools

In September 2010, Mark Zuckerberg, with the support of Governor Chris Christie, pledged US$100 million to Newark Public Schools.

September 2010: Priscilla Chan Moves In

In September 2010, Priscilla Chan, then a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco, moved into Mark Zuckerberg's rented house in Palo Alto, California.

September 2010: $100 Million Donation to Newark Schools

In September 2010, Zuckerberg donated $100 million to Newark Public Schools through the Startup:Education foundation. The donation's timing was scrutinized due to the impending release of "The Social Network" film.

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October 1, 2010: Release of "The Social Network"

On October 1, 2010, "The Social Network", a movie based on Zuckerberg and the early years of Facebook, was released, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg expressed his discomfort with a movie being made about him while he was still alive and his desire to be seen as a "good guy."

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October 3, 2010: Zuckerberg Voiced on "The Simpsons"

On October 3, 2010, Zuckerberg voiced himself on an episode of "The Simpsons" titled "Loan-a Lisa". In the episode, he interacts with Lisa Simpson and shares his view on the irrelevance of college degrees for success.

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October 9, 2010: "SNL" Lampoons Zuckerberg and Facebook

On October 9, 2010, "Saturday Night Live" lampooned Zuckerberg and Facebook, with Andy Samberg portraying Zuckerberg, who reportedly found it amusing.

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October 30, 2010: "Medal of Fear" Award

On October 30, 2010, Stephen Colbert awarded Zuckerberg a "Medal of Fear" at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, citing his valuation of privacy.

2010: Named Time Person of the Year

In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg was named Time Person of the Year, the same year Facebook surpassed half a billion users.

2010: Signing The Giving Pledge

In 2010, Zuckerberg, along with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, signed The Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half of their wealth to charity.

January 2011: Zuckerberg's "SNL" Appearance

In January 2011, Zuckerberg made a surprise guest appearance on "Saturday Night Live", hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. Zuckerberg commented that the movie "The Social Network" was "interesting".

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January 16, 2011: Golden Globe Win for "The Social Network"

On January 16, 2011, upon winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture for "The Social Network", producer Scott Rudin thanked Facebook and Zuckerberg for allowing them to use his life and work as a metaphor.

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2011: Publication of 'The Facebook Effect'

In 2011, David Kirkpatrick, former technology editor at Fortune magazine, published 'The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World', assessing the accuracy of "The Social Network" movie. He stated the film is only 40% true, with distorted facts and a false overall impression of Zuckerberg's motivations.

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2011: Named One of Time's Most Influential People

In 2011, Mark Zuckerberg was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

May 19, 2012: Marriage to Priscilla Chan

On May 19, 2012, Mark Zuckerberg married Priscilla Chan in the grounds of his mansion, coinciding with her graduation from medical school.

October 26, 2012: Arrest of Paul Ceglia for fraud

On October 26, 2012, Paul Ceglia was arrested by federal authorities and charged with mail and wire fraud for allegedly fabricating evidence in order to defraud Mark Zuckerberg of billions of dollars related to Facebook.

December 2012: Donation to Silicon Valley Community Foundation

In December 2012, Mark Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, an organization focused on grant-making, including in the area of education.

December 2012: Commitment to Donate Majority of Wealth

In December 2012, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced their commitment to donate the majority of their wealth over their lifetimes to "advancing human potential and promoting equality" in the spirit of The Giving Pledge.

2012: Voting in General Elections

In 2012, Zuckerberg voted in at least two of the past three general elections, in 2008 and 2012. He is listed as having "no preference" on voter rolls.

February 2013: Fundraising Event for Chris Christie

In February 2013, Mark Zuckerberg hosted his first fundraising event for then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Zuckerberg's interest was in education reform, specifically Christie's work on teachers unions and charter schools.

April 11, 2013: Launch of FWD.us Lobbying Group

On April 11, 2013, Mark Zuckerberg launched FWD.us, a 501(c)(4) lobbying group founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors, with Joe Green as president. The group aimed to address immigration reform, education improvement, and technological advancements but faced criticism for supporting oil and gas development initiatives.

June 2013: Participation in San Francisco Pride Celebration

In June 2013, Mark Zuckerberg joined Facebook employees in a company float at the annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration. The participation had grown to 700 employees by 2013 and was especially significant following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

June 20, 2013: Engagement with Facebook Users on FWD.us Video

On June 20, 2013, Mark Zuckerberg responded to claims about FWD.us on his Facebook profile, clarifying that the organization's goal was to ensure fair treatment for undocumented immigrants.

September 2013: Comments on PRISM Scandal

In September 2013, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Mark Zuckerberg stated that the U.S. government "blew it" regarding the PRISM scandal, citing concerns about the protection of citizens' freedoms, the economy, and companies.

December 2013: Donation to Silicon Valley Community Foundation

In December 2013, Zuckerberg announced a donation of 18 million Facebook shares, valued at $990 million, to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. It was recognized as the largest charitable gift on public record for that year.

2013: Appearance in "Terms and Conditions May Apply"

In 2013, Zuckerberg appeared in the climax of the documentary film "Terms and Conditions May Apply", which discusses online privacy.

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October 2014: $25 Million Donation to Combat Ebola

In October 2014, Zuckerberg and his wife donated $25 million to combat the Ebola virus disease during the West African Ebola virus epidemic.

2014: Zuckerberg Purchases Land in Hawaii

In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg purchased 700 acres of land on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi, expanding his real estate holdings.

2014: Construction of Support Yacht Wingman

In 2014, the support yacht Wingman, was built by Damen Yachting. Wingman functions as a tender and logistics platform for Launchpad.

February 2015: $75 Million Donation to San Francisco General Hospital

In February 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife donated $75 million to the foundation of the San Francisco General Hospital, leading to its renaming as The Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

July 2015: Pregnancy Announcement

In July 2015, Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he and Priscilla Chan were expecting a baby girl and that Chan had previously experienced three miscarriages.

December 1, 2015: Pledge to Transfer Facebook Shares to CZI

On December 1, 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife pledged to transfer 99% of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) over the course of their lives.

December 9, 2015: Statement in Support of Muslims

On December 9, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg posted a statement on his Facebook wall expressing support for Muslims in response to the Paris attacks and the San Bernardino attack, emphasizing that Muslims are "always welcome" on Facebook.

December 2015: Birth of First Daughter

In December 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's first daughter was born.

February 24, 2016: Memo Regarding "Black Lives Matter" at Facebook

On February 24, 2016, Mark Zuckerberg sent a company-wide memo rebuking employees who had crossed out "Black Lives Matter" phrases and replaced them with "All Lives Matter" on company walls, deeming the practice malicious and an act of silencing speech.

December 2016: Ranked on Forbes List of World's Most Powerful People

In December 2016, Mark Zuckerberg was ranked tenth on the Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful People.

2016: Creation of Chan Zuckerberg Biohub

In 2016, CZI gave $600 million to create the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a collaborative research space in San Francisco, with the intent to foster interaction and collaboration between scientists at UCSF, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University.

2016: Change in Religious Views

In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg stated that he now believes religion is very important, after having questioned it in the past.

January 2017: Criticism of Trump's Immigration Order

In January 2017, Mark Zuckerberg criticized Donald Trump's executive order to limit immigrants and refugees from certain countries.

January 2017: Lawsuits Against Native Hawaiians

In January 2017, Zuckerberg filed lawsuits against native Hawaiians to claim ownership of small tracts of land within his Hawaiian acreage, later dropping the lawsuits and expressing regret for not understanding the local land laws before acting.

August 2017: Birth of Second Daughter

In August 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan welcomed their second daughter.

2017: Tour of America

In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife began a tour of America "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".

2017: Call for Action on Global Warming

In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg called for action to stop global warming in a commencement speech at Harvard University.

2018: Zuckerberg Testifies on Cambridge Analytica Scandal

In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg testified before the United States Senate Committee regarding Facebook's handling of personal data in relation to the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal, acknowledging a breach of trust. He declined to testify before a UK Parliamentary committee.

2019: Named One of Time's Most Influential People

In 2019, Mark Zuckerberg was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

October 1, 2020: Senate Subpoenas for Tech CEOs

On October 1, 2020, the US Senate Commerce Committee voted to issue subpoenas to Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sundar Pichai (Google) and Jack Dorsey (Twitter) to testify about Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934.

2020: Controversy Over Hospital Renaming

In 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors condemned the renaming of San Francisco General Hospital after the Zuckerbergs, citing concerns about Facebook's role in public health and misinformation.

January 6, 2021: Mention of the US Capitol Attack

On March 25, 2021, Zuckerberg testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. During the hearing, Facebook's role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol Building was discussed.

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, as well as its handling of user data and its response to the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol Building.

December 2021: Kauai Estate Expansion

In December 2021, Zuckerberg expanded his estate in Kauai by purchasing an additional 110 acres for $17 million, adding to his already substantial 1,500-acre property.

2022: MMA and BJJ Training

In 2022, Mark Zuckerberg began training in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).

March 2023: Birth of Third Daughter

In March 2023, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan welcomed their third daughter.

May 6, 2023: BJJ Tournament Win

On May 6, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg competed in a BJJ tournament and won both a silver and a gold medal in gi and no gi, competing at white belt.

July 2023: Promotion to Blue Belt

In July 2023, Mark Zuckerberg was promoted to blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu by Dave Camarillo.

2023: Ranked on Forbes 400 List

In 2023, Mark Zuckerberg was ranked eighth on the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, with a personal wealth of $106 billion.

January 2024: Senate Hearing on Child Safety

In January 2024, Mark Zuckerberg testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety and social media platforms, apologizing to families of children harmed by online abuse.

August 2024: Regret over Censoring COVID-19 Content

In an August 2024 letter, Mark Zuckerberg stated he regretted not doing more to resist pressure from the Biden administration to censor content related to COVID-19.

September 2024: Mentioned in Trump's Book "Save America"

In September 2024, Donald Trump's book "Save America" described Mark Zuckerberg's visits to the White House and warned against illegal activities related to the 2024 Presidential Election.

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October 2024: Becomes Second Richest Person in the World

In October 2024, Mark Zuckerberg became the second richest person in the world.

2024: Sculpture of Priscilla Chan Unveiled

In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg commissioned the visual artist Daniel Arsham to build a 7-foot-tall sculpture of his wife Priscilla Chan.

2024: Purchase and Operation of Mega-Yacht Launchpad

In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg purchased the mega-yacht Launchpad for about $300 million and put it into operation, emitting 40 tons of carbon dioxide per hour.

2024: Change in Style

In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg shifted his style from wearing the same gray shirt and jeans to wearing gold chains and trendier streetwear.

2024: Sailing to French Polynesia

In late 2024, the Launchpad sailed roughly 4,800 miles to French Polynesia and waited in Tahiti for weeks without Mark Zuckerberg boarding.

January 2025: Comments on the Trump Administration

In January 2025, Mark Zuckerberg commented positively on the Trump administration's support for leading companies and American technology.

March 2025: Relationship with Trump Administration During Antitrust Case

In March 2025, Mark Zuckerberg mentioned his relationship with the Trump administration while seeking a favorable settlement in an antitrust case with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

October 2025: Net Worth Estimated by Forbes

As of October 2025, Mark Zuckerberg's net worth was estimated at $251 billion by Forbes, making him the third richest person in the world.

November 2025: WIRED Investigation of School on Zuckerberg Property

In November 2025, WIRED published an investigation into complaints from neighbors about a school operating on Mark Zuckerberg's property without a permit.

2025: Voyage to Norway's Fjords

During the Easter period of 2025, Sustainability Times described Mark Zuckerberg's roughly 5,280-mile voyage to Norway's fjords using the Launchpad and Wingman fleet for a heliskiing trip.

2025: Named One of Time's Most Influential People

In 2025, Mark Zuckerberg was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

2025: Operating Two-Vessel Fleet in Arctic

In early 2025, reports surfaced of Mark Zuckerberg's two-vessel fleet, Launchpad and Wingman, operating together in the Arctic. Launchpad was tracked at Longyearbyen, Svalbard, where local activists staged protests over emissions.