Launched as thefacebook.com by Mark Zuckerberg and three friends on February 4, 2004, the site was initially restricted to Harvard College students
Facebook gained a reputation for buying or copying potential rivals, now boasting a "family" of apps including Instagram and WhatsApp.
Image: Lionel Bonaventure / AFP©
Founded 20 years ago as a simple hangout spot for young people, Facebook has since become a battle-hardened behemoth that—despite perceptions of being for boomers and parents—continues growing and growing.
"I will never forget the day that I ran up to my high school's Mac lab and signed up for Facebook," Insider Intelligence analyst Jasmine Enberg told AFP.