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 spearheaded the creation of the social media giant Facebook, which has become a globally dominant platform. Zuckerberg's career has also been marked by legal challenges concerning the origins and ownership of Facebook and controversies surrounding user privacy on the platform.
1934: Communications Act
The Communications Act of 1934 was the foundation upon which the US Senate Committee used to issue subpoenas.
May 14, 1984: Mark Zuckerberg's Birth
On May 14, 1984, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born. He later co-founded Facebook and Meta Platforms and became chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder.
1984: Publication of "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution"
In 1984, Steven Levy wrote the book "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution". In 2010 he described Zuckerberg as a hacker.
2002: Zuckerberg begins classes at Harvard
By 2002, when Zuckerberg began classes at Harvard, he had a reputation as a programming prodigy. He created CourseMatch, and later Facemash.
2002: Voter Registration in New York
In 2002, Mark Zuckerberg registered to vote in Westchester County, New York, where he had grown up.
April 28, 2003: Contract signed with Paul Ceglia
On April 28, 2003, Zuckerberg allegedly signed a contract with Paul Ceglia that 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: Meeting Priscilla Chan
In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg met Priscilla Chan at a frat party during his sophomore year at Harvard.
January 1, 2004: Registration of thefacebook.com domain
On January 1, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg registered the domain name thefacebook.com.
January 2004: Zuckerberg Begins Coding Facebook
In January 2004, Mark Zuckerberg started writing the code for a new website that would become Facebook.
February 4, 2004: Launch of "Thefacebook"
On February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com, in partnership with his roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes.
February 2004: Launch of i2hub
A month after Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook in February 2004, Wayne Chang launched i2hub, another campus-only service focused on peer-to-peer file sharing.
February 2004: Facebook Launch at Harvard
In February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook with roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes while attending Harvard College.
August 2004: Launch of Wirehog
In August 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, along with Andrew McCollum, Adam D'Angelo, and Sean Parker, launched a competing peer-to-peer file sharing service called Wirehog.
2004: Lawsuit by Winklevoss and Narendra
In 2004, Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra sued Mark Zuckerberg, accusing him of making them believe he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com (later called ConnectU).
2004: Move to Palo Alto and Meeting Peter Thiel
In 2004, Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard and moved to Palo Alto, California with his co-founders. He met Peter Thiel, who invested in his company.
2005: Lawsuit filed by Eduardo Saverin
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, with Saverin's title as co-founder affirmed and an agreement to stop talking to the press.
March 28, 2007: Dismissal of Lawsuit
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 addresses, were posted on the website of 02138, a magazine catering to Harvard alumni.
2007: Launch of Facebook Platform Applications
In 2007, Facebook Platform applications was launched, which was built on the precursor of Wirehog.
2007: MIT Technology Review's 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.
2007: Zuckerberg on Open Information Flow
In 2007, Zuckerberg stated that creating an open information flow for people was more important than selling to major corporations.
June 25, 2008: Settlement with ConnectU
On June 25, 2008, the case with ConnectU was settled. Facebook agreed to transfer over 1.2 million common shares and pay $20 million in cash.
November 2008: First Ballot Cast
In November 2008, Mark Zuckerberg cast his first ballot since registering to vote.
2008: Most Influential People by Time
In 2008, Time named Mark Zuckerberg as one of the most influential people in the world.
2008: Became World's Youngest Self-Made Billionaire
In 2008, at the age of 23, Mark Zuckerberg became the world's youngest self-made billionaire.
April 2009: Sought Advice from Peter Currie
In April 2009, Mark Zuckerberg sought the advice of former Netscape CFO Peter Currie regarding financing strategies for Facebook.
2009: Ranked on Vanity Fair 100 List
In 2009, Mark Zuckerberg ranked number 23 on the Vanity Fair 100 list.
June 2010: Criminal investigation launched in Pakistan
In June 2010, Pakistani Deputy Attorney General Muhammad Azhar Sidiqque launched a criminal investigation into Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook co-founders Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes after a "Draw Muhammad" contest was hosted on Facebook, which also named the anonymous German woman who created the contest. Sidiqque asked the country's police to contact Interpol to have Zuckerberg and the three others arrested for blasphemy.
June 2010: Paul Ceglia lawsuit
In June 2010, Paul Ceglia, the owner of a wood pellet fuel company in Allegany County, upstate New York, 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: Priscilla Chan Moves In
In September 2010, Priscilla Chan moved into Mark Zuckerberg's rented house in Palo Alto, California.
September 2010: $100 million donation to Newark Public Schools
In September 2010, it was reported that Zuckerberg had donated $100 million to Newark Public Schools, the public school system of Newark, New Jersey, through the Startup:Education foundation.
September 2010: Pledge to Newark Public Schools
In September 2010, with the support of Governor Chris Christie, Cory Booker obtained a US$100 million pledge from Mark Zuckerberg to Newark Public Schools.
October 1, 2010: Release of "The Social Network"
On October 1, 2010, the movie "The Social Network", based on Zuckerberg and the founding years of Facebook, was released, starring Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg expressed his wish that the movie had not been made while he was still alive.
October 3, 2010: Voiced self on "The Simpsons"
On October 3, 2010, Zuckerberg voiced himself on an episode of "The Simpsons" titled "Loan-a Lisa". In the episode, Lisa Simpson and her friend Nelson encounter Zuckerberg at an entrepreneurs' convention.
October 9, 2010: "Saturday Night Live" lampooned Zuckerberg and Facebook
On October 9, 2010, "Saturday Night Live" lampooned Zuckerberg and Facebook. Andy Samberg portrayed the role of Zuckerberg.
October 30, 2010: Awarded a "Medal of Fear" by Stephen Colbert
On October 30, 2010, Stephen Colbert awarded a "Medal of Fear" to Zuckerberg at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, "because he values his privacy much more than he values yours".
2010: Time Person of the Year
In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg was named the Time Person of the Year, coinciding with Facebook reaching over half a billion users.
2010: Hacker Philosophy at Facebook
In 2010, Steven Levy wrote that Zuckerberg "clearly thinks of himself as a hacker". Zuckerberg said that "it's OK to break things" "to make them better", which lead to the implementation of "hackathons".
2010: Signing The Giving Pledge
In 2010, Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett signed The Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half of their wealth to charity over time.
2010: Release of "The Social Network"
In 2010, a film depicting Zuckerberg's early career, legal troubles, and initial success with Facebook, titled "The Social Network," was released and won multiple Academy Awards.
2010: Named Most Influential by Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair magazine named Zuckerberg number 1 on its 2010 list of the Top 100 "most influential people of the Information Age".
January 2011: Surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live
In January 2011, Zuckerberg made a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. They both said it was the first time they had met. Eisenberg asked Zuckerberg, who had been critical of his portrayal by the film, what he thought of the movie. Zuckerberg replied, "It was interesting."
January 16, 2011: Golden Globe Award for Best Picture
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". Sorkin, who won for Best Screenplay, retracted some of the impressions given in his script.
2011: Assessment of "The Social Network" by David Kirkpatrick
According to David Kirkpatrick, former technology editor at Fortune magazine and author of The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company that is Connecting the World, "the film is only 40% true ... he is not snide and sarcastic in a cruel way, the way Zuckerberg is played in the movie."
2011: First Participation in San Francisco Pride Celebration
In 2011, Facebook first participated in the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration with 70 employees.
2011: Most Influential People by Time
In 2011, Time named Mark Zuckerberg as one of the most influential people in the world.
2011: Advice from Steve Jobs
In a 2011 interview with PBS shortly after the death of Steve Jobs, Zuckerberg said that Jobs had advised him on creating a management team at Facebook that was focused on quality.
May 2012: Facebook Goes Public
In May 2012, Mark Zuckerberg took Facebook public with majority shares.
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
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: Donation to Silicon Valley Community Foundation
In December 2012, Mark Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, an organization that includes education in its grant-making areas.
December 2012: Commitment to donate the majority of wealth
In December 2012, 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.
2012: Voting in General Elections
In 2012, it was recorded that Zuckerberg voted in at least two of the past three general elections including 2008 and 2012.
February 2013: Fundraising Event for Chris Christie
In February 2013, Mark Zuckerberg hosted his first fundraising event for then New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, focusing on education reform.
April 6, 2013: Facebook's Home Promotional Campaign
On April 6, 2013, Facebook's head of consumer marketing Rebecca Van Dyck stated that 85 million American Facebook users were exposed to the first day of the Home promotional campaign.
April 11, 2013: Launch of FWD.us
On April 11, 2013, Mark Zuckerberg led the launch of FWD.us, a lobbying group focused on immigration reform and improving education. However, the group 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 as part of the annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration. This year's celebration was especially significant as it followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that deemed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional.
June 20, 2013: Engagement on Facebook Profile Page
On June 20, 2013, Zuckerberg engaged with Facebook users on his profile page following the publication of a FWD.us video, addressing concerns about the organization's goals regarding immigration.
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: Zuckerberg's Goal at TechCrunch Conference
In September 2013, Mark Zuckerberg raised the goal of expanding Internet coverage into developing countries at the TechCrunch conference.
September 2013: Comments on PRISM Scandal
In September 2013, during the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Mark 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.
December 2013: Donation of Facebook shares to Silicon Valley Community Foundation
In December 2013, Zuckerberg announced a donation of 18 million Facebook shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, totaling $990 million in value, and was recognized as the largest charitable gift on public record for that year.
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.
2013: Appearance in "Terms and Conditions May Apply"
Zuckerberg appeared in the climax of 2013 documentary film "Terms and Conditions May Apply".
October 2014: $25 million donation to combat Ebola
In October 2014, 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 in Beijing
On October 23, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg participated in a Q&A session at Tsinghua University in Beijing, speaking in Mandarin Chinese, to fuel the nation's entrepreneur sector, despite Facebook being banned in China.
December 8, 2014: Meeting with Lu Wei at Facebook Headquarters
On December 8, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, along with other American technology figures, hosted Chinese politician Lu Wei at Facebook's headquarters.
December 11, 2014: Live Q&A Session at Facebook Headquarters
On December 11, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg held a live Q&A session at Facebook's headquarters to learn how to better serve the community. He defended Facebook as a means to facilitate social engagement.
2014: Land purchase in Kauaʻi
In 2014, Zuckerberg purchased 700 acres of land on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi.
February 2015: Endowment of San Francisco General Hospital
In February 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife endowed the foundation of the San Francisco General Hospital with $75 million, which was the biggest individual donation to a U.S. public hospital. The hospital was renamed 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, also sharing that Chan had previously experienced three miscarriages.
November 2015: Paris Attacks
In November 2015, the Paris attacks happened, to which Mark Zuckerberg later responded with a statement of support for Muslims.
December 1, 2015: Pledge to transfer 99% of 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 Supporting Muslims
On December 9, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg posted a statement on his Facebook wall expressing support for Muslims in response to the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks and the 2015 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.
2015: Shooting at Mother Emanuel
In 2015, there was a shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel, which Mark Zuckerberg visited on his tour in 2017.
February 24, 2016: Internal Memo on Black Lives Matter
On February 24, 2016, Mark Zuckerberg sent an internal memo to Facebook employees rebuking those who crossed out "Black Lives Matter" phrases and replaced them with "All Lives Matter", considering this practice disrespectful and malicious, and announcing investigations into the incidents.
June 2016: Named Business Visionary by Business Insider
In June 2016, Business Insider named Mark Zuckerberg one of the "Top 10 Business Visionaries Creating Value for the World", due to his pledge with his wife to give away 99% of their wealth.
December 2016: Ranked Tenth on Forbes' List
In December 2016, Mark Zuckerberg was ranked tenth on the Forbes list of the World's Most Powerful People.
2016: Co-founded Breakthrough Starshot
In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg co-founded the Breakthrough Starshot project with Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking, a solar sail spacecraft development project.
2016: Belief in Religion
In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg stated that he believes religion is very important after a period of questioning.
2016: Most Influential People by Time
In 2016, Time named Mark Zuckerberg as one of the most influential people in the world.
2016: Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Creation
In 2016, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) provided $600 million to establish the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a tax-exempt charity designed as a collaborative research space in San Francisco, aiming to foster collaboration among scientists from UCSF, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University. The Biohub retains the right to commercialize any research it funds, while inventors have the option to make their discoveries open-source with permission from Biohub. Furthermore, the Biohub requires its investigators to publish submitted manuscripts and related data on preprint servers to increase access to scientific research and promote open science.
January 2017: Criticism of Trump's Executive Order
In January 2017, Mark Zuckerberg criticized Donald Trump's executive order to limit immigrants and refugees from some countries.
January 2017: "Quiet title and partition" 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 in Kauaʻi. The lawsuits were later dropped.
May 25, 2017: Honorary Degree from Harvard
On May 25, 2017, Mark Zuckerberg received an honorary degree from Harvard after giving a commencement speech at the university's 366th commencement day.
August 2017: Birth of Second Daughter
In August 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's second daughter was born.
2017: Nationwide Tour
In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife began a nationwide tour to visit every state and learn more about the people using 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: Testimony before the United States Senate Committee
In 2018, on April 10 and 11, 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: Most Influential People by Time
In 2019, Time named Mark Zuckerberg as one of the most influential people in the world.
October 1, 2020: US Senate Committee vote to issue subpoenas to tech CEOs
On October 1, 2020, the US Senate Commerce Committee unanimously voted to issue subpoenas to the CEOs of three top tech firms, including Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey to testify about the legal immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934.
2020: Ballot Initiative Funding
In 2020, Zuckerberg funded a state-level ballot initiative to raise taxes by altering California's Proposition 13, requiring tax assessment of commercial properties at market rate.
2020: Condemnation of hospital renaming
In 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a measure condemning the renaming of the San Francisco General Hospital to The Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, citing concerns about Facebook's role in endangering public health.
January 6, 2021: Mention of the attack on the US Capitol Building
On March 25, 2021, 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.
March 25, 2021: Testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee
On March 25, 2021, Zuckerberg testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding Facebook's role in the spread of misinformation and hate speech on the platform.
2022: Training in MMA and BJJ
In 2022, Mark Zuckerberg took up training in both mixed martial arts (MMA) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).
March 2023: Birth of Third Daughter
In March 2023, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan welcomed their third daughter and announced the news across his social media pages.
May 6, 2023: BJJ Tournament Wins
On May 6, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg competed in a BJJ tournament and won both a silver and 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
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 Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety and social media platforms
In a January 2024 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety and social media platforms, Zuckerberg, along with other tech CEOs, were questioned about their companies' practices. During the hearing, he apologized to the families of children who were victims of online abuse and harm.
August 2024: Letter to the House Judiciary Committee
In August 2024, Mark Zuckerberg stated in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee that he regretted not resisting pressure from the Biden administration to censor COVID-19 related content.
September 2024: Mention in Trump's book
In September 2024, Donald Trump's book *Save America* mentioned Zuckerberg's visits to the White House, with Trump warning against any illegal activities in the upcoming election.
October 2024: Second Richest Person in the World
In October 2024, Mark Zuckerberg became the second richest person in the world.
December 2024: Net Worth Estimated by Forbes
As of December 2024, Mark 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 Unveiled
In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg commissioned visual artist Daniel Arsham to build a 7-foot-tall sculpture of his wife, Priscilla Chan, which was unveiled.
2024: Shift in Style
In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg shifted his style from wearing the same gray shirt and jeans to wearing gold chains and trendier streetwear.
March 2025: Zuckerberg's Net Worth
According to Forbes, as of March 2025, Mark Zuckerberg's estimated net worth was US$214.1 billion, making him the second richest individual in the world.
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