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 launched Facebook in 2004, which has become one of the world's largest social media platforms. Zuckerberg has been a major figure in the development of social media and the internet, and a significant (and sometimes controversial) influence on global communication and information sharing. He is also involved in various philanthropic efforts through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
May 14, 1984: Mark Zuckerberg's Birth
On May 14, 1984, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born. He is an American businessman and programmer and the co-founder of Facebook and Meta Platforms.
1984: Publication of Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution
In 1984, Steven Levy wrote Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, later citing Zuckerberg as someone who "clearly thinks of himself as a hacker."
2002: Zuckerberg Enrolls at Harvard
In 2002, Mark Zuckerberg began classes at Harvard University, having already established a reputation as a programming prodigy.
2002: Zuckerberg registers to vote
In 2002, Zuckerberg registered to vote in Westchester County, New York, where he had grown up.
2003: Zuckerberg begins dating Priscilla Chan
In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg began dating fellow student Priscilla Chan after meeting her at a frat party during his second year at Harvard.
January 2004: Zuckerberg Begins Writing Code for Facebook
In January 2004, Mark Zuckerberg began writing code for what would become the social networking site Facebook.
February 4, 2004: Launch of 'Thefacebook'
On February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, in partnership with his roommates, launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.
February 2004: Launch of i2hub
A month after Zuckerberg launched Facebook in February 2004, i2hub, a campus-only service created by Wayne Chang, was launched.
February 2004: Facebook Launch at Harvard
In February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, along with his roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, launched Facebook at Harvard College.
August 2004: Launch of Wirehog
In August 2004, Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew McCollum, Adam D'Angelo, and Sean Parker launched Wirehog, a peer-to-peer file sharing service, as a competing service to i2hub.
2004: Winklevoss Lawsuit Filed
In 2004, Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra filed a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg, accusing him of using their idea for HarvardConnection.com to create Facebook.
2004: Zuckerberg Moves to Palo Alto and Meets Peter Thiel
In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard and moved to Palo Alto, California with his co-founders. During the summer of 2004, Peter Thiel invested in his company.
2005: Saverin Files Lawsuit Against Zuckerberg and Facebook
In 2005, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin filed a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, alleging that Zuckerberg illegally spent Saverin's money on personal expenses. The lawsuit was later settled out of court.
March 28, 2007: Dismissal of Winklevoss 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: Court Documents Posted on 02138 Website
In November 2007, court documents containing Mark Zuckerberg's personal information were posted on the website of 02138, a magazine for Harvard alumni, despite Facebook's attempts to have them removed.
2007: Zuckerberg Named Top Innovator by MIT
In 2007, Mark Zuckerberg was recognized as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35 by MIT Technology Review's TR35 list.
2007: Launch of Facebook Platform applications
In 2007, Wirehog became the precursor for the Facebook Platform applications.
June 25, 2008: Settlement in Winklevoss Lawsuit
On June 25, 2008, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook settled the lawsuit with the Winklevoss brothers and Divya Narendra, agreeing to transfer over 1.2 million common shares and pay $20 million in cash.
November 2008: Zuckerberg votes for the first time since registering in 2002
In November 2008, Mark Zuckerberg cast his first ballot since registering to vote in 2002. Voter records indicated his registration as "no preference," and he participated in at least two of the three preceding general elections, including the one in 2008.
2008: Time names Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world
In 2008, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2008: Zuckerberg Becomes 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 advice from former Netscape CFO Peter Currie regarding financing strategies for Facebook.
2009: Zuckerberg Ranked on Vanity Fair 100 List
In 2009, Mark Zuckerberg ranked number 23 on the Vanity Fair 100 list.
June 2010: Criminal Investigation Launched Against Zuckerberg in Pakistan
In June 2010, Pakistani Deputy Attorney General Muhammad Azhar Sidiqque launched a criminal investigation into Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook co-founders due to a "Draw Muhammad" contest hosted on Facebook.
July 21, 2010: Facebook Reaches 500 Million Users
On July 21, 2010, Mark Zuckerberg reported that Facebook had reached the 500-million-user milestone.
September 2010: Zuckerberg pledges $100 million to Newark Public Schools
In September 2010, Mark Zuckerberg pledged US$100 million to Newark Public Schools, with the support of Governor Chris Christie.
September 2010: Chan moves into Zuckerberg's rented house
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.
2010: Zuckerberg named Time Person of the Year and Facebook surpasses 500 million users
In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg was named Time Person of the Year, coinciding with Facebook surpassing half a billion users.
2010: Zuckerberg on Hacking Culture
In 2010, Steven Levy noted that Zuckerberg "clearly thinks of himself as a hacker" and Zuckerberg states that it's OK to "break things" to make them better. Facebook also started "hackathons" around this time.
2010: Release of 'The Social Network'
In 2010, The Social Network, a film based on Mark Zuckerberg's early career and the creation of Facebook, was released and went on to win multiple Academy Awards.
2010: Zuckerberg Named Most Influential Person by Vanity Fair
In 2010, Vanity Fair magazine named Mark Zuckerberg number 1 on its list of the Top 100 "most influential people of the Information Age".
2011: Facebook participates in the event
In 2011, Facebook first participated in the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration with 70 employees.
2011: Time names Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world
In 2011, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
May 2012: Facebook Goes Public
In May 2012, Mark Zuckerberg took Facebook public, retaining majority shares in the company.
May 19, 2012: Zuckerberg marries Priscilla Chan
On May 19, 2012, Mark Zuckerberg married Priscilla Chan in his mansion's grounds. The event also celebrated her graduation from medical school.
December 2012: Zuckerberg donates 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation
In December 2012, Mark Zuckerberg donated 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, an organization that supports education among other grant-making areas.
2012: Zuckerberg votes in general election
In 2012, Mark Zuckerberg voted in a general election. Zuckerberg is listed as "no preference" on voter rolls.
February 2013: Zuckerberg hosts fundraising event for Chris Christie
In February 2013, Mark Zuckerberg hosted his first fundraising event for then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. His interest was in education reform, particularly Christie's work on teachers unions and charter schools.
April 11, 2013: Zuckerberg launches lobbying group FWD.us
On April 11, 2013, Mark Zuckerberg launched FWD.us, a 501(c)(4) lobbying group focused on immigration reform, improving education, and enabling technological advancements. However, it faced criticism for funding ads supporting oil and gas development initiatives.
June 2013: Zuckerberg joins Facebook employees in San Francisco Pride Celebration
In June 2013, Mark Zuckerberg joined Facebook employees in a company float during the annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration. Approximately 700 employees participated in the 2013 march.
June 20, 2013: Zuckerberg responds to claims about FWD.us video
On June 20, 2013, following the online publication of a FWD.us video, Mark Zuckerberg engaged with Facebook users on his profile page. He addressed concerns that FWD.us was solely focused on tech hiring, emphasizing its broader goal of ensuring fair treatment for 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: Zuckerberg says the U.S. government "blew it" regarding PRISM scandal
In September 2013, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Mark Zuckerberg commented on the mid-2013 PRISM scandal, stating that the U.S. government "blew it" regarding protecting citizens' freedoms, the economy, and companies.
2013: Zuckerberg Discusses Internet.org at TechCrunch Disrupt
At the 2013 TechCrunch Disrupt conference in September, Mark Zuckerberg discussed his work toward connecting the 5 billion people not yet connected to the Internet, related to the Internet.org project.
2013: Launch of Internet.org
In 2013, Mark Zuckerberg launched Internet.org, an initiative to provide Internet access to the five billion people worldwide without it.
October 23, 2014: Zuckerberg Participates in Q&A at Tsinghua University
On October 23, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg participated in a Q&A session at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, conversing in Mandarin Chinese.
December 8, 2014: Zuckerberg Hosts Lu Wei at Facebook HQ
On December 8, 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, along with other American technology figures, hosted visiting Chinese politician Lu Wei at Facebook's headquarters.
July 2015: Zuckerberg announces they are expecting a baby girl
In July 2015, Mark Zuckerberg revealed that they were expecting a baby girl and that Chan had experienced three miscarriages previously.
November 2015: Paris attacks
November of 2015, Mark Zuckerberg's response to the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks and the 2015 San Bernardino attack caused him to support muslims in our community and around the world.
December 9, 2015: Zuckerberg supports Muslims in response to Paris and San Bernardino attacks
On December 9, 2015, Mark Zuckerberg posted on his Facebook wall expressing support for Muslims following the November 2015 Paris attacks and the 2015 San Bernardino attack. He stated that Muslims are "always welcome" on Facebook, and cited his Jewish upbringing as a reason to stand against attacks on all communities.
December 2015: Zuckerberg's first daughter is born
In December 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's first daughter was born. They later revealed her Chinese name as Chen Mingyu.
February 24, 2016: Zuckerberg rebukes employees for overwriting "Black Lives Matter" phrases
On February 24, 2016, Mark Zuckerberg sent an internal memo to Facebook employees, condemning the overwriting of "Black Lives Matter" phrases with "All Lives Matter" on company walls. He deemed this practice disrespectful and "malicious", emphasizing the importance of the "Black Lives Matter" message.
June 2016: Zuckerberg Named Top Business Visionary
In June 2016, Business Insider named Mark Zuckerberg one of the "Top 10 Business Visionaries Creating Value for the World".
December 2016: Zuckerberg ranked tenth 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: Zuckerberg Joins Breakthrough Starshot Project
In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg became a board member of the solar sail spacecraft development project Breakthrough Starshot, co-founding it with Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking.
2016: CZI gives $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 and collaborative research facility in San Francisco's Mission Bay area. The goal was to encourage collaboration between scientists at UCSF, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University. Intellectual property rights would be jointly held by Biohub and the researcher's institution, with options for open-source sharing available. CZ Biohub also requires investigators to publish manuscripts and data on preprints servers like bioRxiv.
2016: Time names Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world
In 2016, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
January 2017: Zuckerberg criticizes Trump's executive order on immigration
In January 2017, Mark Zuckerberg publicly criticized Donald Trump's executive order restricting immigration and refugees from certain countries.
May 25, 2017: Zuckerberg Receives Honorary Degree from Harvard
On May 25, 2017, Mark Zuckerberg received an honorary degree from Harvard University after giving a commencement speech at the 366th commencement day.
August 2017: Zuckerberg's second daughter is born
In August 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan welcomed their second daughter.
2017: Zuckerberg calls for action to stop global warming in Harvard commencement speech
In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg delivered a commencement speech at Harvard University, where he called for action to stop global warming.
2019: The couple has a dog named Beast
In 2019, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan had a Puli dog named Beast, who had over two million followers on Facebook.
2019: Time names Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world
In 2019, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2020: Zuckerberg funds state-level ballot initiative regarding property taxes
In 2020, Mark Zuckerberg funded a state-level ballot initiative aimed at modifying California's Proposition 13, which would require commercial and industrial properties to be taxed at market rate.
March 2023: Zuckerberg and Chan welcome 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.
2023: Zuckerberg ranked eighth 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.
August 2024: Zuckerberg regrets censoring COVID-19 content and shifts political views
In an August 2024 letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Mark Zuckerberg expressed regret for not resisting pressure from the Biden administration to censor COVID-19 related content. He also indicated he would no longer donate to election infrastructure, and his political views were described as leaning towards libertarianism or classical liberalism.
September 2024: Trump threatens Zuckerberg with imprisonment
In September 2024, Donald Trump's book "Save America" contained a threat directed at Mark Zuckerberg, suggesting imprisonment if he engaged in illegal activities related to the 2024 Presidential Election.
October 2024: Zuckerberg becomes the second richest person in the world
In October 2024, Mark Zuckerberg achieved the position of the second richest person in the world.
2024: Zuckerberg commissions sculpture of his wife
In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg commissioned Daniel Arsham to create a 7-foot-tall sculpture of his wife, Priscilla Chan, which was unveiled later in the year.
2024: Zuckerberg purchases mega-yacht Launchpad
In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg purchased the mega-yacht Launchpad (formerly Project 1010) for approximately $300 million.
2024: Zuckerberg shifts his style
In 2024, Mark Zuckerberg shifted his style from his usual gray shirt and jeans to wearing gold chains and trendier streetwear. This change in fashion paralleled Meta's efforts to appease the Trump administration.
January 2025: Zuckerberg comments on the new U.S. administration
In January 2025, Mark Zuckerberg commented positively on the new U.S. administration, highlighting their support for leading American companies and technology.
March 2025: Zuckerberg mentions relationship with the Trump administration while seeking settlement in FTC v. Meta
In March 2025, Mark Zuckerberg referenced his relationship with the Trump administration while seeking a favorable settlement in FTC v. Meta, an antitrust case where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was asking for $30 billion.
October 2025: Zuckerberg is the third richest person in the world
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 investigates complaints about school on Zuckerberg property
In November 2025, WIRED published an investigation detailing complaints from neighbors regarding a school operating on the Zuckerberg property without proper permits.
December 2025: Zuckerberg's Net Worth in December 2025
According to Forbes, as of December 2025, Mark Zuckerberg's estimated net worth stood at US$220 billion.
2025: Time names Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world
In 2025, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg one of the most influential people in the world.
2025: Estimated Value of Zuckerberg's Pledge in 2025
In 2025, the equivalent value of Mark Zuckerberg and his wife's pledge to give away 99% of their wealth (estimated at $55.0 billion in 2016) would be $72,240,700,516.
2025: Value of Facebook shares and cash settlement in 2025
In 2025, the equivalent value of the 1.2 million Facebook shares and $20 million cash settlement agreed upon after the lawsuit against Zuckerberg, was $28,047,543.
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