Faceobok

{{About|the social media service|its owner, formerly known as Facebook, Inc.|Meta Platforms}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Facebook

| logo = [[File:Facebook f logo (2021).svg|150px]] [[File:Facebook Logo (2019).svg|150px]]

| screenshot = Facebook user page (2019).png

| caption = Mark Zuckerberg's profile (viewed when [[Login|logged out]])

| collapsible = no

| type = [[Social networking service]] [[Publisher]]

| language = [[Multilingualism|Multilingual]] Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assamese, Azerbaijani, Basque, Belarusian, [[Bengali language|Bengali]], Bosnian, Breton, Bulgarian, Burmese, Catalan, Cebuano, Corsican, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Dutch (België), English (UK), English (US), English (upside down), Esperanto, Estonian, Faroese, Filipino, Finnish, French (Canada), French (France), Frisian, Fula, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Guarani, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hebrew, [[Hindi]], Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Japanese (Kansai), Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kyrgyz, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Norwegian (bokmal), Norwegian (nynorsk), Odia, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Sardinian, Serbian, Shona, Silesian, Simplified Chinese (China), Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Sorani Kurdish, Spanish, Spanish (Spain), Swahili, Swedish, Syriac, Tajik, Tamazight, Tamil, Tatar, Telugu, Tetun, Thai, Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Welsh and Zaza

| language_count = 112

| language_footnote = <ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Interface Languages|url=https://www.facebook.com/language.php|website=Facebook (Select your language)}}</ref>

| founded = {{Start date and age|2004|02|04}} in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]]

| area_served = Worldwide, except [[Censorship of Facebook|blocking countries]]

| founder = [[Mark Zuckerberg]] [[Eduardo Saverin]]

| CEO = [[Mark Zuckerberg]]

| url = {{plainlist|

{{URL|https://facebook.com}}

{{URL|https://m.facebook.com}}

{{URL|https://mbasic.facebook.com}}

}}

| registration = Required (to do any activity)

| users = {{increase}} 2.94 billion monthly active users ({{as of|2022|03|31|lc=yes}})<ref name="investor-report">{{cite web |title=Facebook Reports First Quarter 2022 Results |url=https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2022/Meta-Reports-First-Quarter-2022-Results/default.aspx |website=Facebook Investor Relations |access-date=April 27, 2022 |date=March 31, 2022}}</ref>

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2004|02|04}}

| owner = [[Meta Platforms]]

| current_status = Active

| programming_language = [[C++]], [[Hack (programming language)|Hack]] (as [[HipHop Virtual Machine|HHVM]])

| footnotes = <ref name="Our History">{{cite web|title=Our History|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/company-info/|website=Facebook|access-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Gavin|last=Clarke| title=Facebook re-write takes PHP to an enterprise past |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/02/facebook_hiphop_unveiled/|website=[[The Register]]|publisher=Situation Publishing|date=February 2, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/02/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-platform-publisher-lawsuit |title=Is Facebook a publisher? In public it says no, but in court it says yes|first=Sam|last=Levin|date=July 3, 2018|via=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

}}

'''Facebook''' is an online [[social media]] and [[social networking service]] owned by American company [[Meta Platforms]]. Founded in 2004 by [[Mark Zuckerberg]] with fellow [[Harvard College]] students and roommates [[Eduardo Saverin]], [[Andrew McCollum]], [[Dustin Moskovitz]], and [[Chris Hughes]], its name comes from the [[face book]] directories often given to American university students. Membership was initially limited to Harvard students, gradually expanding to other North American universities and, since 2006, anyone over 13 years old. As of July 2022, Facebook claimed 2.93 billion monthly active users,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/131576/facebook-had-293-billion-monthly-active-users-maus-in-q2-2022 |title=Facebook had 2.93 billion monthly active users (MAUs) in Q2 2022 |publisher=Shacknews |date=2022-07-27 |accessdate=2022-08-16}}</ref> and ranked third worldwide among the most visited websites as of July 2022 <ref>https://www.similarweb.com/top-websites/. {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}}</ref> It was the most downloaded [[mobile app]] of the 2010s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2019/12/16/apps-and-games-of-the-decade/|title=These were the most-downloaded apps and games of the decade|last=Miller|first=Chance|date=December 17, 2019|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=December 17, 2019}}</ref>

Facebook can be accessed from devices with [[Internet]] connectivity, such as [[personal computer]]s, [[tablet computer|tablets]] and [[smartphone]]s. After registering, users can create a profile revealing information about themselves. They can post text, photos and multimedia which are shared with any other users who have agreed to be their [[Friending and following|"friend"]] or, with different [[privacy settings]], publicly. Users can also [[instant messaging|communicate directly]] with each other with [[Facebook Messenger]], join common-interest groups, and receive notifications on the activities of their Facebook friends and the pages they follow.

The subject of [[Criticism of Facebook|numerous controversies]], Facebook has often been criticized over issues such as [[Internet privacy|user privacy]] (as with the [[Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal|Cambridge Analytica data scandal]]), political manipulation (as with the [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections#Social media and Internet trolls|2016 U.S. elections]]) and mass surveillance.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 24, 2018|title=Facebook accused of conducting mass surveillance through its apps|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/24/facebook-accused-of-conducting-mass-surveillance-through-its-apps|access-date=October 9, 2020|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Posts originating from the Facebook page of ''[[Breitbart News]]'', a media organization previously affiliated with Cambridge Analytica, are currently among the most widely shared political content on Facebook.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 10, 2020 |title=Facebook offers a distorted view of American news |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/09/10/facebook-offers-a-distorted-view-of-american-news |access-date=2022-05-05 |issn=0013-0613 |quote=According to CrowdTangle, a Facebook-owned tool that tracks how web content is shared on social media, the two most popular American media outlets on the site last month (..) were Fox News and Breitbart, two right-wing news sites.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellison |first1=Sarah |last2=Izadi |first2=Elahe |date=2021-10-26 |title='Definitely not the results we want': Facebook staff lamented 'perverse incentives' for media |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/26/conservative-media-misinformation-facebook/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en |quote=An August article from Breitbart, an early and loyal media ally of former president Donald Trump, touted three months of CrowdTangle data to boast that it was ‘demolishing its establishment foes on Facebook.’}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Alba |first=Davey |date=2020-09-29 |title=The Facebook Pages With the Largest Share of Debate Conversation |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/technology/the-facebook-pages-with-the-largest-share-of-debate-conversation.html |access-date=2022-05-05 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=At the top was Fox News (with a 25 percent share of the conversation), followed by Breitbart (15 percent of the conversation) and then the conservative commentator Ben Shapiro (12 percent share).}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=2021-07-14 |title=Inside Facebook's Data Wars |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/14/technology/facebook-data.html |access-date=2022-05-05 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 28, 2020 |title=Trump says right-wing voices are being censored. The data says something else |website=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/28/media/trump-social-media-conservative-censorship/index.html |access-date=2022-05-05 |quote=The second top US political media page belonged to Breitbart, with 23% of total interactions.}}</ref> Facebook has also been subject to criticism over psychological effects such as [[social media addiction|addiction]] and low [[self-esteem]], and various controversies over content such as [[fake news]], [[conspiracy theories]], [[copyright infringement]], and [[hate speech]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/21/quit-facebook-privacy-scandal-private-messages|title=Is 2019 the year you should finally quit Facebook? | Arwa Mahdawi|first=Arwa|last=Mahdawi|date=December 21, 2018|via=www.theguardian.com|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> Commentators have accused Facebook of willingly facilitating the spread of such content,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/facebook-spreads-viral-fake-news-story-about-vaccines-791331|title=Facebook Spreads Viral Fake News Story About Vaccines|first=Kastalia|last=Medrano|website=Newsweek|date=January 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90301427/a-shockingly-large-majority-of-health-news-shared-on-facebook-is-fake|title=A shockingly large majority of health news shared on Facebook is fake or misleading|first=Rina|last=Raphael|website=Fast Company|date=February 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44809815|title=Facebook will not remove fake news – but will 'demote' it|work=BBC News|date=July 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2019/forget-fake-news-stories-false-text-posts-are-getting-massive-engagement-on-facebook/|title=Forget fake news stories. False text posts are getting massive engagement on Facebook.|first=Daniel|last=Funke|website=Poynter|date=March 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{cite web |date=March 11, 2022 |title=Russia-Ukraine war: Facebook temporarily allows posts allowing violent speech against Russian 'invaders' |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/story/russia-ukraine-war-news-latest-updates-facebook-temporarily-allows-posts-ukraine-war-calling-violence-against-invading-russians-putin-death-1924006-2022-03-11 |access-date=April 10, 2022 |website=India Today |publisher=Reuters}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{cite web|url=https://thewire.in/tech/facebook-allows-ukraine-war-posts-urging-violence-against-invading-russians-putin|title=Facebook Allows Ukraine War Posts Urging Violence Against Invading Russians, Putin|website=The Wire}}</ref> as well as exaggerating its number of users to appeal to advertisers.<ref name=useradappeal>{{cite news|url=https://www.theregister.com/2018/08/17/facebook_ad_reach_lawsuit/#:~:text='Made%2Dup%20PR%20numbers',to%20exaggerate%20online%20advertising%20audience&text=Facebook%20brags%20it%20has%20a,than%201.27bn%20fake%20accounts.|title=Facebook flat-out 'lies' about how many people can see its ads – lawsuit|first=Thomas|last=Claburn|publisher=The Register|date=August 17, 2018|access-date=November 18, 2020}}</ref>

== History ==

=== 2003–2006: Thefacebook, Thiel investment, and name change ===

[[File:Thefacebook.png|thumb|Original layout and name of ''Thefacebook'' in 2004, showing [[Al Pacino]]'s face superimposed with [[binary number]]s as Facebook's original logo, designed by co-founder Andrew McCollum<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/this-person-was-the-first-face-of-facebook-2011-5|title=This Person Was The First Face of Facebook|last=Shontell|first=Alyson|date=May 16, 2011|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=September 10, 2019}}</ref>]]

Zuckerberg built a website called "Facemash" in 2003 while attending [[Harvard University]]. The site was comparable to [[Hot or Not]] and used "photos compiled from the online [[face book]]s of nine Houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the "hotter" person".<ref name="Harvard Crimson on Facemash">{{cite web|first=Katharine A.|last=Kaplan|title=Facemash Creator Survives Ad Board|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/11/19/facemash-creator-survives-ad-board-the/|website=[[The Harvard Crimson]]|date=November 19, 2003|access-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref> Facemash attracted 450 visitors and 22,000 photo-views in its first four hours.<ref name="Fast Company on Zuckerberg">{{cite web|first=Ellen|last=McGirt|title=Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg: Hacker. Dropout. CEO.|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/59441/facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-hacker-dropout-ceo|website=[[Fast Company (magazine)|Fast Company]]|publisher=Mansueto Ventures|date=May 1, 2007|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> The site was sent to several campus group [[listserv]]s, but was shut down a few days later by Harvard administration. Zuckerberg faced expulsion and was charged with breaching security, violating [[copyright]]s and violating individual privacy. Ultimately, the charges were dropped.<ref name="Harvard Crimson on Facemash" /> Zuckerberg expanded on this project that semester by creating a social study tool. He uploaded art images, each accompanied by a comments section, to a website he shared with his classmates.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|title=Startup School: An Interview With Mark Zuckerberg|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/10/24/startup-school-an-interview-with-mark-zuckerberg/|website=[[TechCrunch]]|publisher=[[AOL]]|date=October 24, 2009|access-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref>

A "[[face book]]" is a student directory featuring photos and personal information.<ref name="Fast Company on Zuckerberg" /> In 2003, Harvard had only a paper version<ref>{{Cite news|first=Sarah|last=Phillips|title=A brief history of Facebook|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia|newspaper=The Guardian|date=July 25, 2007|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> along with private online directories.<ref name="Harvard Crimson on Facemash" /><ref name="Harvard Crimson on Facebook">{{cite web|first=Alan T.|last=Tabak|title=Hundreds Register for New Facebook Website|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2004/2/9/hundreds-register-for-new-facebook-website/|website=The Harvard Crimson|date=February 9, 2004|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> Zuckerberg told ''[[The Harvard Crimson]]'', "Everyone's been talking a lot about a universal face book within Harvard. ... I think it's kind of silly that it would take the University a couple of years to get around to it. I can do it better than they can, and I can do it in a week."<ref name="Harvard Crimson on Facebook" /> In January 2004, Zuckerberg coded a new website, known as "TheFacebook", inspired by a ''Crimson'' editorial about Facemash, stating, "It is clear that the technology needed to create a centralized Website is readily available ... the benefits are many." Zuckerberg met with Harvard student [[Eduardo Saverin]], and each of them agreed to invest $1,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1000|2004}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) in the site.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Claire|last=Hoffman|title=The Battle For Facebook|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-battle-for-facebook-20100915|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=Wenner Media|date=September 15, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "TheFacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lily|last=Rothman|title=Happy Birthday, Facebook|url=http://time.com/3686124/happy-birthday-facebook/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:MarkZuckerberg-crop.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mark Zuckerberg]], co-creator of Facebook, in his [[Harvard University|Harvard]] dorm room, 2005]]

Six days after the site launched, Harvard seniors [[Cameron Winklevoss]], [[Tyler Winklevoss]], and [[Divya Narendra]] accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing that he would help them build a social network called [[ConnectU|HarvardConnection.com]]. They claimed that he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nicholas|last=Carlson|title=In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg Broke into A Facebook User's Private Email Account|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-mark-zuckerberg-hacked-into-the-harvard-crimson-2010-3|website=Business Insider|publisher=[[Axel Springer SE]]|date=March 5, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> The three complained to the ''Crimson'' and the newspaper began an investigation. They later sued Zuckerberg, settling in 2008<ref name="nytb">{{cite news|work=The New York Times blog|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/judge-ends-facebooks-feud-with-connectu/index.html|date=June 28, 2008|title=Judge Ends Facebook's Feud With ConnectU|author=Stone, Brad|access-date=July 23, 2008|archive-date=December 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226015329/https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/judge-ends-facebooks-feud-with-connectu/index.html%20|url-status=dead}}</ref> for 1.2 million [[shares]] (worth $300 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|300000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) at Facebook's [[Initial public offering|IPO]]).<ref>{{Cite news|first=Dominic|last=Rushe|title=Facebook IPO sees Winklevoss twins heading for $300m fortune|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/feb/02/facebook-ipo-winklevoss-300m-fortune|newspaper=The Guardian|date=February 2, 2012|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

Membership was initially restricted to students of [[Harvard College]]. Within a month, more than half the undergraduates had registered.<ref name="A brief history">{{Cite news|first=Sarah|last=Phillips|title=A brief history of Facebook|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia|newspaper=The Guardian|date=July 25, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> [[Dustin Moskovitz]], [[Andrew McCollum]], and [[Chris Hughes]] joined Zuckerberg to help manage the growth of the website.<ref>{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Weinberger|title=33 photos of Facebook's rise from a Harvard dorm room to world domination|url=http://nordic.businessinsider.com/facebook-history-photos-2016-9|website=Business Insider|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=September 7, 2017|access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref> In March 2004, Facebook expanded to [[Columbia University|Columbia]], [[Stanford University|Stanford]] and [[Yale University|Yale]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Facebook: a timeline of the social network|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/9052743/Facebook-a-timeline-of-the-social-network.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/9052743/Facebook-a-timeline-of-the-social-network.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=February 1, 2012|access-date=December 13, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It then became available to all [[Ivy League]] colleges, [[Boston University]], [[New York University|NYU]], [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], and successively most universities in the United States and [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|access-date=June 13, 2008|url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/09/11/facebook-opens-up-cx_rr_0911facebook.html|title=Open Facebook|work=Forbes|location=New York|date=September 11, 2006|author=Rosmarin, Rachel}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://tuftsdaily.com/archives/2004/04/12/online-network-created-by-harvard-students-flourishes/|title=Online network created by Harvard students flourishes|work=[[The Tufts Daily]]|first=Lananh|last=Nguyen|date=April 12, 2004|location=Medford, MA|access-date=November 30, 2018}}</ref>

In mid-2004, [[Napster]] co-founder and entrepreneur [[Sean Parker]]—an informal advisor to Zuckerberg—became company president.<ref name="NYT_260505">{{cite news|author=Rosen, Ellen|title=Student's Start-Up Draws Attention and $13 Million|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/26/business/26sbiz.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050529030744/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/26/business/26sbiz.html |archive-date=2005-05-29 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 26, 2005|access-date=May 18, 2009}}</ref> In June 2004, the company moved to [[Palo Alto, California]].<ref name="timeline">{{Cite press release|access-date=March 5, 2008|url=https://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?timeline|title=Company Timeline|publisher=Facebook|date=January 1, 2007}}</ref> It received its first investment later that month from [[PayPal]] co-founder [[Peter Thiel]].<ref name="beware">{{cite news|access-date=April 30, 2008|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/general/beware-facebook/2008/01/18/1200620184398.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2|title=Why you should beware of Facebook|work=The Age|location=Melbourne|date=January 20, 2008}}</ref> In 2005, the company dropped "the" from its name after purchasing the [[domain name]] Facebook.com for [[United States dollar|US$]]200,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|200000|2005}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}).<ref>{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Williams|title=Facebook wins Manx battle for face-book.com|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/01/facebook_domain_dispute|website=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing|date=October 1, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> The domain had belonged to AboutFace Corporation.

In May 2005, [[Accel Partners]] invested $12.7 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|12700000|2005}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) in Facebook, and [[Jim Breyer]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/47387334/Jim_Breyer_via_Accel_Partners|title=Jim Breyer (via Accel Partners)|work=CNBC|date=May 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229120047/https://www.cnbc.com/id/47387334/Jim_Breyer_via_Accel_Partners|archive-date=December 29, 2014 }}</ref> added $1 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1000000|2005}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) of his own money. A high-school version of the site launched in September 2005.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook is the go-to Web site for students looking to hook up|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]|location=Ohio|date=August 3, 2006|author=Dempsey, Laura}}</ref> Eligibility expanded to include employees of several companies, including [[Apple Inc.]] and [[Microsoft]].<ref>{{cite news|access-date=March 9, 2008|url=http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-09-11/facebook-opening-the-doors-wider|title=Facebook: Opening the Doors Wider|work=BusinessWeek|location=New York|date=September 12, 2006|author=Lacy, Sarah}}</ref>

=== 2006–2012: Public access, Microsoft alliance, and rapid growth ===

In May 2006, Facebook hired its first intern, [[Julie Zhuo]].<ref name="fortune.com">{{cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2014/06/02/tech-star-julie-zhuo/|title=Facebook's Julie Zhuo: She's not just pushing pixels|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=October 15, 2019}}</ref> After a month, Zhuo was hired as a full-time engineer.<ref name="fortune.com" /> On September 26, 2006, Facebook opened to everyone at least 13 years old with a valid [[email address]].<ref name="welcome">{{cite web|first=Carolyn|last=Abram|url=http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=2210227130|access-date=March 8, 2008|publisher=The Facebook Blog|title=Welcome to Facebook, everyone|date=September 26, 2006}}</ref><ref name="tos">{{cite web|access-date=March 5, 2008|url=https://www.facebook.com/terms.php|title=Terms of Use|publisher=Facebook|date=November 15, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2006/09/facebook-expansion-enables-more-people-to-connect-with-friends-in-a-trusted-environment/|title=Facebook Expansion Enables More People to Connect with Friends in a Trusted Environment|date=September 26, 2006|work=Facebook Newsroom|access-date = February 4, 2016}}</ref> By late 2007, Facebook had 100,000 pages on which companies promoted themselves.<ref>{{cite news|title=Enterprise: Facebook, a Marketer's Friend; Site Offers Platform To Tout Products, Interact With Users|last=Richmond|first=Riva|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|location=New York|date=November 27, 2007|page=B4}}</ref> Organization pages began rolling out in May 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=Greenstein, Howard|url=http://mashable.com/2009/05/27/facebook-page-vs-group|title=Facebook Pages vs Facebook Groups: What's the Difference?|publisher=Mashable.com|date=May 27, 2009|access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref> On October 24, 2007, [[Microsoft]] announced that it had purchased a 1.6% share of Facebook for $240 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|240000000|2007}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), giving Facebook a total implied value of around $15 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|15000000000|2007}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}). Microsoft's purchase included rights to place international advertisements.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft gets a piece of Facebook|url=https://money.cnn.com/2007/10/24/technology/msft_facebook/|website=[[CNNMoney]]|publisher=CNN|date=October 24, 2007|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Doug|last=Sherrets|title=Microsoft invests $240M in Facebook, as Facebook develops ad product|url=https://venturebeat.com/2007/10/24/microsoft-funds-facebook-as-facebook-develops-ad-product/|website=[[VentureBeat]]|date=October 24, 2007|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref>

In May 2007, at the first f8 developers conference, Facebook announced the launch of the [[Facebook Platform|Facebook Developer Platform]], providing a [[Software framework|framework]] for [[software developer]]s to create [[Application software|applications]] that interact with core [[List of Facebook features|Facebook features]]. By the [[Facebook f8|second annual f8]] developers conference on July 23, 2008, the number of applications on the platform had grown to 33,000, and the number of registered developers had exceeded 400,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Expands Power of Platform Across the Web and Around the World|url=https://about.fb.com/news/2008/07/facebook-expands-power-of-platform-across-the-web-and-around-the-world/|date=July 24, 2008|website=About Facebook|language=en-US|access-date=May 26, 2020}}</ref>

The website won awards such as placement into the "Top 100 Classic Websites" by ''[[PC Magazine]]'' in 2007,<ref>{{cite news|access-date=May 9, 2008|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2169354,00.asp|title=Social Networking|work=[[PC Magazine]]|date=August 13, 2007}}</ref> and winning the "People's Voice Award" from the [[Webby Award]]s in 2008.<ref name="webby">{{cite web|access-date=May 6, 2008|url=http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=12|title=12th Annual Webby Awards Nominees|publisher=[[International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926024111/http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=12|archive-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref>

On July 20, 2008, Facebook introduced "Facebook Beta", a significant redesign of its user interface on selected networks. The Mini-Feed and Wall were consolidated, profiles were separated into tabbed sections, and an effort was made to create a cleaner look.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_852573C4006938800025748D0064C292.html|title=Facebook Facelift Targets Aging Users and New Competitors|work=The New York Times|author=Havenstein, Heather|date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Facebook began migrating users to the new version in September 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.new.facebook.com/blog.php?post=30074837130|title=Moving to the new Facebook|publisher=The Facebook Blog|access-date=September 12, 2008|author=Slee, Mark|date=September 10, 2008}}</ref>

In October 2008, Facebook announced that its international headquarters would locate in [[Dublin]], Ireland.<ref>{{Cite press release|access-date=November 30, 2008|url=https://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=59042|title=Facebook to Establish International Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland|publisher=Facebook|date=October 2, 2008}}</ref> In September 2009, Facebook said that it had achieved positive [[cash flow]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/09/16/tech-facebook-300-million-users.html|title=Facebook 'cash flow positive,' signs 300M users|work=CBC News|location=Toronto|date=September 16, 2009|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref> A January 2009 [[Compete.com]] study ranked Facebook the most used social networking service by worldwide monthly [[active users]].<ref name="Kazeniac">{{cite news|author=Kazeniac, Andy|title=Social Networks: Facebook Takes Over Top Spot, Twitter Climbs|url=http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/|date=February 9, 2009|work=Compete Pulse blog|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721111825/http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/|archive-date=July 21, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2019}} [[China]] blocked Facebook in 2009 following the [[July 2009 Ürümqi riots|Ürümqi riots]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/07/china-blocks-access-to-twitter-facebook-after-riots/|title=China Blocks Access To Twitter, Facebook After Riots|last=Wauters|first=Robin|date=July 7, 2009|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref>

In 2010, Facebook won the [[TechCrunch|Crunchie]] "Best Overall Startup Or Product" award<ref>{{cite web|first=Anthony|last=Ha|title=Congratulations to Facebook, Bing, and the other Crunchies winners|url=https://venturebeat.com/2010/01/11/crunchies-winners-facebook-bing/|website=[[VentureBeat]]|date=January 11, 2010|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref> for the third year in a row.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|title=Congratulations Crunchies Winners! Facebook Takes Best Overall for the Hat Trick|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/01/08/crunchies-winner/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=January 8, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

The company announced 500 million users in July 2010.<ref name="500 million" /> Half of the site's membership used Facebook daily, for an average of 34 minutes, while 150 million users accessed the site from mobile devices. A company representative called the milestone a "quiet revolution."<ref name="Quiet revolution" /> In October 2010 groups were introduced.<ref>''[https://interestingengineering.com/history-of-facebook A Brief History of Facebook, Its Major Milestones]'' by Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, July 7, 2020</ref> In November 2010, based on [[SecondMarket]] Inc. (an exchange for privately held companies' shares), Facebook's value was $41 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|41000000000|2010}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}). The company had slightly surpassed [[eBay]] to become the third largest American web company after [[Google]] and [[Amazon.com]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Sophie|last=Curtis|title=Facebook at 10: Zuckerberg hails 'incredible journey'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10614544/Facebook-at-10-Zuckerberg-hails-incredible-journey.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10614544/Facebook-at-10-Zuckerberg-hails-incredible-journey.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=February 3, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Brian|last=Womack|title=Facebook Becomes Third Biggest US Web Company|url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/technology/facebook-becomes-third-biggest-us-web-company/406751|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203081529/http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/technology/facebook-becomes-third-biggest-us-web-company/406751|website=[[Jakarta Globe]]|publisher=[[BeritaSatu Media Holdings]]|date=November 15, 2010|archive-date=December 3, 2010|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref>

On November 15, 2010, Facebook announced it had acquired the domain name fb.com from the [[American Farm Bureau Federation]] for an undisclosed amount. On January 11, 2011, the Farm Bureau disclosed $8.5 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|8500000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) in "domain sales income", making the acquisition of FB.com one of the ten highest domain sales in history.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://namemon.com/news/1-latest-news/115-fbcom-acquired-by-facebook|title=FB.com acquired by Facebook|date=January 11, 2011|work=NameMon News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204210357/http://namemon.com/news/1-latest-news/115-fbcom-acquired-by-facebook|archive-date=February 4, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In February 2011, Facebook announced plans to move its headquarters to the former [[Sun Microsystems]] campus in Menlo Park, California.<ref name="parr_ben_facebooks_new_offices_feb_2011">{{cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2011/02/07/facebook-menlo-park-pics/|title=These Are Facebook's New Offices [PHOTOS]|last=Parr|first=Ben|website=Mashable|date=February 8, 2011|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2011/02/08/facebook-packs-up-for-menlo-park|title=Facebook packs up for Menlo Park|website=www.almanacnews.com|access-date=February 6, 2019|last=Brundage|first=Sandy }}</ref> In March 2011, it was reported that Facebook was removing about 20,000 profiles daily for violations such as [[Spamming|spam]], graphic content and underage use, as part of its efforts to boost [[cyber security]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook deletes 20,000 underage profiles daily|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/facebook-deletes-20000-underage-profiles-daily/146972-11.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110326053101/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/facebook-deletes-20000-underage-profiles-daily/146972-11.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 26, 2011|date=March 24, 2011|access-date=March 24, 2011|work=IBN Live|agency=Press Trust of India|location=Noida, Uttar Pradesh}}</ref> Statistics showed that Facebook reached one trillion [[page view]]s in the month of June 2011, making it the most visited website tracked by [[DoubleClick]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Emil|last=Protalinski|title=Facebook is first with 1 trillion page views, according to Google|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/facebook-is-first-with-1-trillion-page-views-according-to-google/|website=[[ZDNet]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|date=August 24, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Kate|last=Solomon|title=Facebook hit 1 trillion page views in June|url=http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/facebook-hit-1-trillion-page-views-in-june-1000147|website=[[TechRadar]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|date=August 25, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref> According to a [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]] study, Facebook had in 2011 become the second-most accessed website in the U.S. behind [[Google Search|Google]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Google and Facebook top 2011's most visited sites in US|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-16356066|date=March 8, 2012|access-date=July 13, 2017|work=[[BBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Ryan|last=Fleming|title=Google and Facebook top the most visited websites of 2011|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/web/google-and-facebook-top-the-most-visited-websites-of-2011/|website=[[Digital Trends]]|date=December 29, 2011|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref>

=== 2012–2013: IPO, lawsuits, and one billion active users ===

In March 2012, Facebook announced App Center, a store selling applications that operate via the website. The store was to be available on [[iPhone]]s, [[Android (operating system)|Android]] devices, and for mobile web users.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18017379|title=Facebook app store launches amid mobile revenue worries|date=May 10, 2012|work=BBC News}}</ref>

[[File:Facebook on Nasdaq.jpeg|thumb|Billboard on the [[Thomson Reuters]] building welcomes Facebook to NASDAQ, May 2012]]

Facebook's [[Initial public offering of Facebook|initial public offering]] came on May 17, 2012, at a share price of US$38 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|38|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}). The company was valued at $104 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|104000000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), the largest valuation to that date.<ref name="fb-104">{{cite news|first1=Mark|last1=Milian|first2=Marcus|last2=Chan|title=Facebook's Valuation: What $104 Billion Is Worth|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2012-05-17/facebook-s-valuation-what-104-billion-is-worth.html|access-date=January 11, 2014|newspaper=Bloomberg Technology|date=May 18, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kerr|first=Dara|title=Facebook stock hits a record high, since IPO|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57600166-93/facebook-stock-hits-a-record-high-since-ipo/|work=C{{!}}Net News|publisher=C{{!}}Net|access-date=August 27, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook-pricing-20120518,0,3426310.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518023059/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook-pricing-20120518%2C0%2C3426310.story|archive-date=May 18, 2012|title=Stakes are high on Facebook's first day of trading|first1=Andrew|last1=Tangel|first2=Walter|last2=Hamilton|date=May 17, 2012|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 17, 2012|url-status=dead }}</ref> The IPO raised $16 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|16000000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), the third-largest in U.S. history, after [[Visa Inc.]] in 2008 and [[AT&T Wireless]] in 2000.<ref name="NYT517">{{cite news|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/facebook-raises-16-billion-in-i-p-o/?hp|title=Facebook Raises $16 Billion in I.P.O.|first1=Evelyn M.|last1=Rusli|date=May 17, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 17, 2012|first2=Peter|last2=Eavis}}</ref><ref name="USN517">{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2012/05/18/questions-and-answers-on-blockbuster-facebook-ipo-3|title=Questions and answers on blockbuster Facebook IPO|first=Bernard|last=Condon|date=May 17, 2012|work=U.S. News|access-date=May 17, 2012|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Based on its 2012 income of $5 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|5000000000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), Facebook joined the [[Fortune 500]] list for the first time in May 2013, ranked 462.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/05/06/facebook-fortune-500-2013/2139223/|title=Facebook squeaks onto the Fortune 500|newspaper=USA Today|date=May 6, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013|first=Matt|last=Krantz}}</ref> The shares set a first-day record for trading volume of an IPO (460 million shares).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120518-710783.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524053446/http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120518-710783.html|archive-date=May 24, 2012|title=Facebook Sets Record For IPO Trading Volume|date=May 18, 2012|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=May 18, 2012|url-status=dead }}</ref> The IPO was controversial given the immediate price declines that followed,<ref name="yahoo 134021024">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120528230445/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/facebook-shares-fall-valuation-doubts-134021024.html Facebook shares fall valuation doubts]. Yahoo! Finance</ref><ref name="forbes 2012/05/20">[https://www.forbes.com/sites/billsinger/2012/05/20/tepid-honeymoon-of-facebook-and-nasdaq-does-not-deliver-the-big-bang/ Tepid honeymoon of Facebook and NASDAQ does not deliver the big bang]. forbes.com</ref><ref name="yahoo 133648905">{{cite news|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/facebook-bankers-secretly-cut-facebook-revenue-estimates-middle-133648905.html|title=Facebook Bankers Secretly Cut Facebook's Revenue Estimates in Middle Of IPO Roadshow|first1=Henry|last1=Blodget|date=May 22, 2012|work=[[Yahoo! Finance]]|access-date=December 14, 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/22/BU3K1OLCV5.DTL Facebook IPO underscores shutting out the masses]. sfgate.com</ref> and was the subject of lawsuits,<ref>{{cite web|title=Listing of Recent Securities Lawsuits Filed Against Facebook|url=https://www.docketalarm.com/search/dockets/?q=facebook+morgan+stanley&f=nos_exact-850+Securities%2FCommodities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019163905/https://www.docketalarm.com/search/dockets/?q=facebook+morgan+stanley&f=nos_exact-850+Securities%2FCommodities|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2013|access-date=July 19, 2013}}</ref> while SEC and FINRA both launched investigations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/fury-over-facebook-ipo-grows-lawsuits-mount-150039330.html|title=Fury Over Facebook IPO Grows, Lawsuits Mount|first1=Matt|last1=Nesto|date=May 23, 2012|work=[[Yahoo! Finance]]|access-date=December 14, 2014}}</ref>

Zuckerberg announced at the start of October 2012 that Facebook had one billion monthly active users,<ref name="One billion users" /> including 600 million mobile users, 219 billion photo uploads and 140 billion friend connections.<ref name="Billion statistics" />

=== 2013–2014: Site developments, A4AI, and 10th anniversary ===

On January 15, 2013, Facebook announced [[Facebook Graph Search]], which provides users with a "precise answer", rather than a link to an answer by leveraging data present on its site.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook introduces social search feature|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-introduces-social-search-feature/2013/01/15/599c6f7e-5f3d-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|author=Tsukayama, Hayley|date=January 15, 2013}}</ref> Facebook emphasized that the feature would be "privacy-aware", returning results only from content already shared with the user.<ref>Claburn, Thomas (January 16, 2013). [http://www.informationweek.com/security/privacy/meet-facebooks-graph-search-tool/240146350 "Meet Facebook's Graph Search Tool"]. ''Information Week''.</ref> On April 3, 2013, Facebook unveiled [[Facebook Home]], a user-interface layer for Android devices offering greater integration with the site. [[HTC]] announced [[HTC First]], a phone with Home pre-loaded.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Seifert|title=HTC and Facebook announce the First smartphone with AT&T, arriving April 12th for $99.99|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/4/4182302/htc-and-facebook-announce-the-first-smartphone|website=[[The Verge]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|date=April 4, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

On April 15, 2013, Facebook announced an alliance across 19 states with the National Association of Attorneys General, to provide teenagers and parents with information on tools to manage social networking profiles.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ingrid|last=Lunden|title=Facebook Links Up With Attorneys General in 19 U.S. States For Teen Social Networking Safety Program|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/15/facebook-links-up-with-attorneys-general-in-19-u-s-states-for-teen-online-safety-program/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=April 15, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> On April 19 Facebook modified its logo to remove the faint blue line at the bottom of the "F" icon. The letter F moved closer to the edge of the box.<ref>{{cite news|author=Murphy, Samantha|url=http://mashable.com/2013/04/19/facebook-logo-update/|title=New Facebook Logo Made Official|work=Mashable|date=November 18, 2011|access-date=April 20, 2013}}</ref>

Following a campaign by 100 advocacy groups, Facebook agreed to update its policy on hate speech. The campaign highlighted content promoting [[domestic violence]] and [[sexual violence]] against women and led 15 advertisers to withdraw, including Nissan UK, House of Burlesque, and Nationwide UK. The company initially stated, "while it may be vulgar and offensive, distasteful content on its own does not violate our policies".<ref>{{cite news|title=#FBrape: Will Facebook Heed Open Letter Protesting 'Endorsement Of Rape & Domestic Violence'?|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/28/fbrape-will-facebook-heed-open-letter-protesting-endorsement-rape-domestic-violence_n_3346520.html|access-date=May 29, 2013|newspaper=The Huffington Post UK|date=May 28, 2013|author=Nelson, Sara C.}}</ref> It took action on May 29.<ref>{{cite web|first=Rory|last=Carroll|title=Facebook gives way to campaign against hate speech on its pages|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/29/facebook-campaign-violence-against-women|website=The Guardian|date=May 29, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

On June 12, Facebook announced that it was introducing clickable [[hashtag]]s to help users follow trending discussions, or search what others are talking about on a topic.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.techstake.org/2013/06/facebook-introduces-hashtags-to-its-users.html|title=Facebook Introduces Hashtags to its Users|author=Dey, Aditya|work=TechStake-Technology News Blog|date=June 13, 2013|access-date=June 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614152042/http://www.techstake.org/2013/06/facebook-introduces-hashtags-to-its-users.html|archive-date=June 14, 2013|url-status=dead }}</ref> [[San Mateo County]], California, became the top wage-earning county in the country after the fourth quarter of 2012 because of Facebook. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average salary was 107% higher than the previous year, at $168,000 a year (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|168000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}), more than 50% higher than the next-highest county, New York County (better known as [[Manhattan]]), at roughly $110,000 a year (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|110000|2012}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}).<ref>{{cite news|title=How Facebook's IPO Created the Best-Paid County in America|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/07/02/how-facebooks-ipo-created-the-best-paid-county-in-america/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704204100/https://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/07/02/how-facebooks-ipo-created-the-best-paid-county-in-america/ |archive-date=July 4, 2013 |access-date=July 4, 2013|department=Corporate Intelligence blog|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=July 2, 2013|author=Thurm, Scott}}</ref>

Facebook joined [[The Alliance for Affordable Internet|Alliance for Affordable Internet]] (A4AI) in October, as it launched. The A4AI is a coalition of public and private organizations that includes [[Google]], [[Intel]] and Microsoft. Led by [[Sir Tim Berners-Lee]], the A4AI seeks to make Internet access more affordable to ease access in the developing world.<ref>{{cite web|first=Samuel|last=Gibbs|title=Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Google lead coalition for cheaper internet|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/google-berners-lee-alliance-broadband-africa|website=The Guardian|date=October 7, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

The company celebrated its 10th anniversary during the week of February 3, 2014.<ref name="2013 record quarterly results">{{cite web|first=Dominic|last=Rushe|title=Facebook posts record quarterly results and reports $1.5bn profit for 2013|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/29/facebook-record-quarterly-results|website=The Guardian|date=January 29, 2014|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> In January 2014, over one billion users connected via a mobile device.<ref>{{cite web|last=McDuling|first=John|url=http://qz.com/202349/facebook-mobile-user-base-has-crossed-the-1-billion-threshhold/|title=Facebook's mobile user base has crossed the 1 billion threshold – Quartz|date=April 23, 2014 |publisher=Qz.com|access-date=April 24, 2014}}</ref> As of June, mobile accounted for 62% of advertising revenue, an increase of 21% from the previous year.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Lewis|last1=DVorkin|title=Inside Forbes: Mobile Part II, Or 4 More Charts That Offer a Peek Into the Future of Journalism|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lewisdvorkin/2014/07/29/inside-forbes-mobile-part-ii-or-4-more-charts-that-offer-a-peak-into-the-future-of-journalism/|website=Forbes|access-date=August 13, 2014|date=July 29, 2014}}</ref> By September Facebook's market capitalization had exceeded $200 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|200000000000|2014}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}).<ref>{{cite news|first=Victor|last=Luckerson|title=Facebook Is Now Worth $200 Billion|url=http://time.com/3305662/facebook-valuation-200-billion/|magazine=Time|date=September 8, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Paul R.|last=La Monica|title=A lot to 'like': Facebook now worth $200 billion|url=https://money.cnn.com/2014/09/09/investing/facebook-worth-200-billion/|website=[[CNNMoney]]|publisher=CNN|date=September 9, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook Valuation Tops $200 Billion|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/infographics/facebook-valuation-tops-200-billion.html|website=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date=September 8, 2014|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref>

Zuckerberg participated in a Q&A session at [[Tsinghua University]] in [[Beijing]], [[China]], on October 23, where he attempted to converse in Mandarin. Zuckerberg hosted visiting Chinese politician [[Lu Wei (politician)|Lu Wei]], known as the "Internet czar" for his influence in China's online policy, on December 8.<ref>{{cite news|author=James Griffiths and Steven Jiang|date=March 26, 2019|title=Former Chinese internet czar Lu Wei sentenced to 14 years in prison for bribery|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/26/asia/lu-wei-china-sentenced-corruption-intl/index.html|access-date=April 18, 2021|website=CNN|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Macauley|first=Nikhil Sonnad, Richard|title=Mark Zuckerberg's 20-minute speech in clumsy Mandarin is his latest attempt to woo China|url=https://qz.com/532834/mark-zuckerbergs-20-minute-speech-in-clumsy-mandarin-is-his-latest-attempt-to-woo-china/|access-date=April 18, 2021|website=Quartz|date=October 26, 2015 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Beijing|first=Agence France Presse in|date=October 23, 2014|title=Mark Zuckerberg speaks Mandarin during Q&A session in China|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/23/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-mandarin-q-and-a-beijing|access-date=April 18, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

=== 2015–2020: Algorithm revision; fake news ===

{{as of|2015}}, Facebook's algorithm was revised in an attempt to filter out false or misleading content, such as [[fake news]] stories and hoaxes. It relied on users who flag a story accordingly. Facebook maintained that satirical content should not be intercepted.<ref>{{cite news|first=Alexei|last=Oreskovic|title=Facebook clamps down on fake news stories|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-hoaxes-idUSKBN0KT2C820150120|access-date=February 4, 2015|work=Reuters|date=January 20, 2015}}</ref> The algorithm was accused of maintaining a "[[filter bubble]]", where material the user disagrees with<ref>{{cite journal|title=Exposure to ideologically diverse news and opinion on Facebook|journal=Science|date=June 5, 2015|pmid=25953820|pages=1130–1132|volume=348|issue=6239|doi=10.1126/science.aaa1160|first1=Eytan|last1=Bakshy|first2=Solomon|last2=Messing|first3=Lada A.|last3=Adamic|s2cid=206632821|bibcode=2015Sci...348.1130B }}</ref> and posts with few likes would be deprioritized.<ref>{{cite web|title = Facebook Is Hiding Your Friends' Updates From You {{!}} Unicorn Booty|url = https://unicornbooty.com/facebook-is-hiding-your-friends-updates-from-you/|website = Unicorn Booty|access-date = November 8, 2015|date = May 28, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208044342/https://unicornbooty.com/facebook-is-hiding-your-friends-updates-from-you/|archive-date = December 8, 2015|url-status = dead}}</ref> In November, Facebook extended paternity leave from 4 weeks to 4 months.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=shm&sid1=105&oid=001&aid=0008017659|title=페이스북, 전세계 '아빠 출산휴가' 4주→4개월로 확대|last=gong|date=November 28, 2015}}</ref>

On April 12, 2016, Zuckerberg outlined his 10-year vision, which rested on three main pillars: [[artificial intelligence]], increased global connectivity, and [[virtual reality|virtual]] and [[augmented reality]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/04/12/zuckerbergs-10-year-plan-expand-facebook-empire/82936814/|title=Zuckerberg unveils 10-year plan to expand Facebook empire, with political tones|work=USA Today|access-date=April 12, 2016}}</ref> In July, a {{USD|1 billion}} suit was filed against the company alleging that it permitted [[Hamas]] to use it to perform assaults that cost the lives of four people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/facebook-sued-for-dollar1b-for-alleged-use-of-medium-for-terror/ar-BBucrBn?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=mailsignout|title=Facebook Sued for $1B for Alleged Use of Medium for Terror|first=Gwen|last=Ackerman|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=September 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819093935/http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/facebook-sued-for-dollar1b-for-alleged-use-of-medium-for-terror/ar-BBucrBn?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=mailsignout|archive-date=August 19, 2016|url-status=dead }}</ref> Facebook released its blueprints of Surround 360 camera on [[GitHub]] under an [[open-source license]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook open sources Surround 360 camera with Ikea-style instructions|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/26/if-you-source-it-they-will-build/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=July 26, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> In September, it won an [[Primetime Emmy|Emmy]] for its animated short "Henry".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/tech/facebooks-oculus-wins-emmy-for-its-virtual-reality-short-173213477.html|title=Facebook wins first Emmy for Visual animated short "Henry"|date=September 20, 2016|access-date=September 21, 2016}}</ref> In October, Facebook announced a fee-based communications tool called [[Workplace by Facebook|Workplace]] that aims to "connect everyone" at work. Users can create profiles, see updates from co-workers on their news feed, stream live videos and participate in secure group chats.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hu|first=Howard|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardhyu/2016/10/11/facebooks-workplace-could-replace-all-emails-within-your-company/|title=Facebook's Workplace Could Replace All Emails Within Your Company|work=[[Forbes]]|date=October 11, 2016|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref>

Following the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 U.S. presidential election]], Facebook announced that it would combat fake news by using fact checkers from sites like [[FactCheck.org]] and [[Associated Press]] (AP), making reporting hoaxes easier through crowdsourcing, and disrupting financial incentives for abusers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/12/facebook-gets-real-fighting-fake-news/|title=Facebook's Cracking Down on Fake News Starting Today|last=Alba|first=Davey|newspaper=[[Wired (magazine)|WIRED]]|access-date=December 15, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Oculus-Rift-CV1-Headset-Front.jpg|thumb|right|[[Oculus VR]] headset<ref name="Kotaku FB">{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-for-2-billion-1551487939|title=Facebook Buys Oculus Rift For $2 Billion|date=March 25, 2014|access-date=March 25, 2014|website=Kotaku.com|last=Plunkett|first=Luke}}</ref>]]

On January 17, 2017, Facebook COO [[Sheryl Sandberg]] planned to open Station F, a startup incubator campus in [[Paris]], [[France]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Sam|last=Shead|title=Facebook is planning to open a startup incubator in Paris|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-launches-startup-incubator-in-station-f-2017-1|website=Business Insider|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=January 17, 2017|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> On a six-month cycle, Facebook committed to work with ten to 15 data-driven startups there.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/station-f-facebook-startup-garage-startups|title=More than 100 entrepreneurs sign up to help Facebook and Station F find the best startups|magazine=WIRED|first=Matt|last=Burgess|date=February 1, 2017|access-date=February 8, 2017}}</ref> On April 18, Facebook announced the beta launch of {{visible anchor|Facebook Spaces}} at its annual F8 developer conference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/18/15332658/facebook-spaces-virtual-reality-oculus-rift-f8-conference-2017|title=Facebook's bold and bizarre VR hangout app is now available for the Oculus Rift|publisher=THE VERGE|first=Nick|last=Statt|date=April 18, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2017}}</ref> Facebook Spaces is a virtual reality version of Facebook for Oculus VR goggles. In a virtual and shared space, users can access a curated selection of 360-degree photos and videos using their avatar, with the support of the controller. Users can access their own photos and videos, along with media shared on their newsfeed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/facebook-spaces-vr-app-1202033330/|title=A Closer Look at Facebook Spaces, the Company's First Social VR App|work=Variety|first=Janko|last=Roettgers|date=April 18, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2017}}</ref> In September, Facebook announced it would spend up to US$1 billion on original shows for its Facebook Watch platform.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/08/facebook-plans-to-spend-up-to-1b-on-original-shows-in-2018/|title=Facebook plans to spend up to $1B on original shows in 2018|last=Etherington|first=Darrell|work=TechCrunch|access-date=January 29, 2018 }}</ref> On October 16, it acquired the anonymous compliment app [[tbh (app)|tbh]], announcing its intention to leave the app independent.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/16/facebook-acquires-anonymous-teen-compliment-app-tbh-will-let-it-run/|title=Facebook acquires anonymous teen compliment app tbh, will let it run|last=Constine|first=Josh|work=TechCrunch|access-date=October 17, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://uk.businessinsider.com/facebook-buys-tbh-anonymous-app-loved-by-teens-2017-10?r=US&IR=T|title=Facebook has bought tbh, the anonymous app loved by teens|work=Business Insider|access-date=October 17, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-16/facebook-buys-tbh-app-popular-with-teens-for-anonymous-messaging|title=Facebook Buys TBH App Popular With Teens for Anonymous Messaging|date=October 16, 2017|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tbhtime.com/news/|title=tbh has a new home!|website=tbh|access-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017051329/https://tbhtime.com/news/|archive-date=October 17, 2017|url-status=dead }}</ref>

In October 2017, Facebook expanded its work with [[Definers Public Affairs]], a PR firm that had originally been hired to monitor press coverage of the company to address concerns primarily regarding [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Russian meddling]], then [[Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal|mishandling of user data]] by [[Cambridge Analytica]], hate speech on Facebook, and calls for regulation.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news|title=Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook's Leaders Fought Through Crisis|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/technology/facebook-data-russia-election-racism.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114211819/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/technology/facebook-data-russia-election-racism.html |archive-date=2018-11-14 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref> Company spokesman Tim Miller stated that a goal for tech firms should be to "have positive content pushed out about your company and negative content that's being pushed out about your competitor". Definers claimed that [[George Soros]] was the force behind what appeared to be a broad anti-Facebook movement, and created other negative media, along with [[America Rising]], that was picked up by larger media organisations like ''[[Breitbart News]]''.<ref name="nytimes.com" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Wong|first=Julia Carrie|date=November 15, 2018|title=Facebook reportedly discredited critics by linking them to George Soros|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/14/facebook-george-soros-pr-firm-discredit-critics-crisis|access-date=November 15, 2018|website=the Guardian}}</ref> Facebook cut ties with the agency in late 2018, following public outcry over their association.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Facebook Cuts Ties With Definers Public Affairs Following Outcry|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/technology/facebook-definers-soros.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115105644/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/technology/facebook-definers-soros.html |archive-date=2018-11-15 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref>

In May 2018 at [[Facebook F8|F8]], the company announced it would offer its own dating service. Shares in competitor [[Match Group]] fell by 22%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43965204|title=Facebook F8: Zuckerberg's dating service takes on Tinder|work=BBC News|date=May 2, 2018|access-date=May 2, 2018}}</ref> [[Facebook Dating]] includes privacy features and friends are unable to view their friends' dating profile.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reuters|first=Thomson|date=May 1, 2018|title=Facebook unveils plans for new dating service|work=[[CBC News]]|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/facebook-dating-service-1.4643498|access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref> In July, Facebook was charged £500,000 by UK watchdogs for failing to respond to data erasure requests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44785151|title=Facebook faces maximum fine for data misuse|date=July 11, 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=July 11, 2018}}</ref> On July 18, Facebook established a subsidiary named Lianshu Science & Technology in [[Hangzhou City]], China, with $30 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|30000000|2018}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) of capital. All its shares are held by Facebook Hong.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/facebook-sets-up-china-subsidiary-10559294|title=Facebook sets up China subsidiary|website=Channel News Asia|date=July 24, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-date=July 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725111512/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/facebook-sets-up-china-subsidiary-10559294|url-status=dead}}</ref> Approval of the registration of the subsidiary was then withdrawn, due to a disagreement between officials in Zhejiang province and the [[Cyberspace Administration of China]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/business/facebook-china.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725141712/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/business/facebook-china.html |archive-date=2018-07-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=China Said to Quickly Withdraw Approval for New Facebook Venture|work=The New York Times|date=July 25, 2018|first=Paul|last=Mozur}}</ref> On July 26, Facebook became the first company to lose over $100 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|100000000000|2018}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) worth of market capitalization in one day, dropping from nearly $630 billion to $510 billion after disappointing sales reports.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/26/facebook-on-pace-for-biggest-one-day-loss-in-value-for-any-company-sin.html|title=Facebook's $100 billion-plus rout is the biggest loss in stock market history|last1=Imbert|first1=Fred|date=July 26, 2018|work=CNBC|access-date=July 26, 2018|last2=Francolla|first2=Gina}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/26/17619424/facebook-stock-market-decline-largest-ever|title=Facebook's stock market decline is the largest one-day drop in US history|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=July 26, 2018|work=The Verge|access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref> On July 31, Facebook said that the company had deleted 17 accounts related to the [[2018 United States elections|2018 U.S. midterm elections]]. On September 19, Facebook announced that, for news distribution outside the United States, it would work with U.S. funded [[democracy promotion]] organizations, [[International Republican Institute]] and the [[National Democratic Institute]], which are loosely affiliated with the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] parties.<ref name="R91918">{{cite news|first1=Joseph|last1=Menn|title=Facebook expands fake election news fight, but falsehoods still rampant|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-elections/facebook-expands-fake-election-news-fight-but-falsehoods-still-rampant-idUSKCN1LZ2XY|access-date=September 28, 2018|work=Reuters|agency=Reuters|date=September 19, 2018}}</ref> Through the Digital Forensic Research Lab Facebook partners with the [[Atlantic Council]], a [[NATO]]-affiliated think tank.<ref name="R91918" /> In November, Facebook launched smart displays branded [[Facebook Portal|Portal]] and Portal Plus (Portal+). They support [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]'s [[Amazon Alexa|Alexa]] (intelligent personal assistant service). The devices include video chat function with Facebook Messenger.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/reviews/facebook-portal-plus-preview/|title=Facebook Portal brings Alexa and Messenger video chats to one device|date=October 8, 2018|work=CNET|access-date=November 10, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebooks-portal-video-calling-smart-display-hits-stores/|title=You can buy Facebook's Portal smart displays starting today|date=November 7, 2018|work=CNET|access-date=November 10, 2018}}</ref>

In August 2018, a lawsuit was filed in Oakland, California claiming that Facebook created fake accounts in order to inflate its user data and appeal to advertisers in the process.<ref name=useradappeal />

[[File:Aerial view of Facebook campus in Menlo Park, September 2019.JPG|thumb|Aerial view of Meta HQ in [[Menlo Park, California]]]]

In January 2019, the 10-year challenge was started<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/10-year-challenge-facebook-instagram-celebrity-glow-ups-a4039476.html| title=Why everybody's doing the 10-year challenge (with the best so far)| date=January 15, 2019}}</ref> asking users to post a [[photograph]] of themselves from 10 [[year]]s ago (2009) and a more recent photo.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/facebook-10-year-challenge-could-13866672| title=Facebook '10-year challenge' could be used for good and evil thanks to AI| website=[[Daily Mirror]]| date=January 16, 2019}}</ref>

Criticized for its role in [[vaccine hesitancy]], Facebook announced in March 2019 that it would provide users with "authoritative information" on the topic of vaccines.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook announces anti-vaxx crackdown, will block ads with vaccine misinformation|author=Graham, Jefferson|date=March 7, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2019|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/03/07/facebook-looks-tackle-vaccine-misinformation/3092719002/|newspaper=USA Today}}</ref>

A study in the journal Vaccine<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Vaccine-related advertising in the Facebook Ad Archive|journal=Vaccine|year=2020|doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.10.066|last1=Jamison|first1=Amelia M.|last2=Broniatowski|first2=David A.|last3=Dredze|first3=Mark|last4=Wood-Doughty|first4=Zach|last5=Khan|first5=Dureaden|last6=Quinn|first6=Sandra Crouse|volume=38|issue=3|pages=512–520|pmid=31732327|pmc=6954281}}</ref> of advertisements posted in the three months prior to that found that 54% of the anti-vaccine advertisements on Facebook were placed by just two organisations funded by well-known anti-vaccination activists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/nov/13/majority-antivaxx-vaccine-ads-facebook-funded-by-two-organizations-study|title=Majority of anti-vaxx ads on Facebook are funded by just two organizations|date=November 14, 2019|website=The Guardian|access-date=November 14, 2019}}</ref> The [[Children's Health Defense]] / World Mercury Project chaired by [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] and [[Stop Mandatory Vaccination]], run by campaigner Larry Cook, posted 54% of the advertisements. The ads often linked to commercial products, such as natural remedies and books.

On March 14, the ''Huffington Post'' reported that Facebook's PR agency had paid someone to tweak Facebook COO [[Sheryl Sandberg]]'s Wikipedia page, as well as adding a page for the global head of PR, Caryn Marooney.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook, Axios And NBC Paid This Guy To Whitewash Wikipedia Pages|author=Feinberg, Askley|date=March 14, 2019|access-date=March 15, 2019|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wikipedia-paid-editing-pr-facebook-nbc-axios_n_5c63321be4b03de942967225|work=Huffington Post}}</ref>

In March 2019, the perpetrator of the [[Christchurch mosque shootings]] in New Zealand used Facebook to stream live footage of the attack as it unfolded. Facebook took 29 minutes to detect the livestreamed video, which was eight minutes longer than it took police to arrest the gunman. About 1.3m copies of the video were blocked from Facebook but 300,000 copies were published and shared. Facebook has promised changes to its platform; spokesman Simon Dilner told Radio New Zealand that it could have done a better job. Several companies, including the ANZ and ASB banks, have stopped advertising on Facebook after the company was widely condemned by the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/24/censor-bans-manifesto-of-christchurch-mosque-shooter|title=Censor bans 'manifesto' of Christchurch mosque shooter|first=Charles|last=Anderson|date=March 24, 2019|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> Following the attack, Facebook began blocking [[white nationalism|white nationalist]], [[white supremacy|white supremacist]], and [[racial segregation|white separatist]] content, saying that they could not be meaningfully separated. Previously, Facebook had only blocked overtly supremacist content. The older policy had been condemned by civil rights groups, who described these movements as functionally indistinct.<ref name=romm>{{cite news|last1=Romm|first1=Tony|last2=Dwoskin|first2=Elizabeth|title=Facebook says it will now block white-nationalist, white-separatist posts|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/27/facebook-says-it-will-now-block-white-nationalist-white-separatist-posts/|access-date=March 28, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=O'Sullivan|first=Donie|title=Facebook bans white nationalism two weeks after New Zealand attack|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/27/tech/facebook-white-nationalism-ban/index.html|access-date=March 28, 2019|work=CNN|date=March 27, 2019}}</ref> Further bans were made in mid-April 2019, banning several [[British far-right organizations]] and associated individuals from Facebook, and also banning praise or support for them.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47974579|title=Facebook bans far right groups and leaders|date=April 18, 2019|access-date=April 18, 2019|website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/18/18484623/facebook-bans-uk-far-right-groups-leaders-edl-bnp-britain-first|title=Facebook bans UK's biggest far-right organizations, including EDL, BNP, and Britain First|last=Vincent|first=James|date=April 18, 2019|website=The Verge|access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref>

[[National Thowheeth Jama'ath|NTJ]]'s member Moulavi Zahran Hashim, a radical [[Islamism|Islamist]] [[imam]] believed to be the mastermind behind the [[2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings]], preached on a pro-[[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]] Facebook account, known as "Al-Ghuraba" media.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka bombings 'retaliation' for Christchurch mosque attacks, minister says|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12224693|work=NZ Herald|date=April 23, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sri Lanka 'bombing mastermind' named as Moulvi Zahran Hashim|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/23/sri-lanka-bombing-mastermind-named-moulvi-zahran-hashim/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/23/sri-lanka-bombing-mastermind-named-moulvi-zahran-hashim/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=April 23, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:President Trump Meets with Mark Zuckerberg (48765678712).jpg|thumb|Facebook CEO [[Mark Zuckerberg]] and Facebook executives with President [[Donald Trump]] in September 2019]]

On May 2, 2019, at F8, the company announced its new vision with the tagline "the future is private".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/30/18524188/facebook-f8-keynote-mark-zuckerberg-privacy-future-2019|title=Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the "future is private"|last=Statt|first=Nick|date=April 30, 2019|website=The Verge|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref> A redesign of the website and mobile app was introduced, dubbed as "FB5".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/05/01/aspirationbook/|title=Facebook pivots to what it wishes it was|website=TechCrunch|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref> The event also featured plans for improving groups,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-technology-202/2019/05/01/the-technology-202-facebook-s-new-emphasis-on-groups-could-leave-it-more-vulnerable-to-disinformation/5cc8c0e01ad2e506550b2ec0/|title=Analysis {{!}} The Technology 202: Facebook's new emphasis on groups could leave it more vulnerable to disinformation|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref> a dating platform,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2019/may/01/will-facebooks-secret-crush-end-the-unbearable-pain-of-unrequited-love|title=Will Facebook's Secret Crush end the unbearable pain of unrequited love?|last=Hunt|first=Elle|date=May 1, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=May 4, 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> end-to-end encryption on its platforms,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/technology/facebook-private-communication-groups.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430204557/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/technology/facebook-private-communication-groups.html |archive-date=2019-04-30 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Facebook Unveils Redesign as It Tries to Move Past Privacy Scandals|last=Isaac|first=Mike|date=April 30, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 4, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and allowing users on Messenger to communicate directly with [[WhatsApp]] and Instagram users.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/30/facebook-f8-keynote-announcements/|title=All the important stuff from Facebook's F8 keynote|website=Engadget|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/05/02/takeaways-from-f8-and-facebooks-next-phase/|title=Takeaways from F8 and Facebook's next phase|website=TechCrunch|access-date=May 4, 2019}}</ref>

On July 31, 2019, Facebook announced a partnership with [[University of California, San Francisco]] to build a non-invasive, wearable device that lets people type by simply imagining themselves talking.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Reality Labs- UCSF working on tech that reads your mind|url=https://previewtech.net/facebook-human-brain-ucsf/|website=Preview Tech|date=August 17, 2019}}</ref>

On August 13, 2019, it was revealed that Facebook had enlisted hundreds of contractors to create and obtain transcripts of the audio messages of users.<ref name="latimesreveals">{{cite web|date=August 13, 2019|title=Facebook paid hundreds of contractors to transcribe users' audio|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-13/facebook-paid-hundreds-of-contractors-to-transcribe-audio-of-users|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref name="bloombergreveals">{{cite web|date=August 13, 2019|title=Facebook Paid Contractors to Transcribe Users' Audio Chats|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-13/facebook-paid-hundreds-of-contractors-to-transcribe-users-audio|access-date=July 10, 2020|website=Bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref name="cnbcreveals">{{cite web|last=Haselton|first=Todd|date=August 13, 2019|title=Facebook hired people to transcribe voice calls made on Messenger|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/13/facebook-hired-people-to-transcribe-voice-calls-made-on-messenger.html|website=CNBC}}</ref> This was especially common of Facebook Messenger, where the contractors frequently listened to and transcribed voice messages of users.<ref name="cnbcreveals" /> After this was first reported on by [[Bloomberg News]], Facebook released a statement confirming the report to be true,<ref name="bloombergreveals" /> but also stated that the monitoring program was now suspended.<ref name="bloombergreveals" />

On September 5, 2019, Facebook launched [[Facebook Dating]] in the [[United States]]. This new application allows users to integrate their [[Instagram]] posts in their dating profile.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/09/05/facebook-dating-launches-in-the-u-s-adds-instagram-integration/|title=Facebook Dating launches in the US, adds Instagram integration|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=September 5, 2019}}</ref>

Facebook News, which features selected stories from news organizations, was launched on October 25.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=October 29, 2019|title=Facebook News: App Will Offer Hand-Picked Stories From NPR, Other Outlets|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/10/25/773331294/facebook-news-app-will-offer-hand-picked-stories-from-npr-other-outlets|website=[[NPR]]|first1=Colin|last1=Dwyer|first2=Bill|last2=Chappell|date=October 25, 2019}}</ref> Facebook's decision to include [[far-right]] website ''[[Breitbart News]]'' as a "trusted source" was negatively received.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Adi|last1=Robertson|access-date=October 29, 2019|title=Mark Zuckerberg is struggling to explain why Breitbart belongs on Facebook News|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/25/20932653/facebook-news-breitbart-mark-zuckerberg-statement-bias|date=October 25, 2019|website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=October 29, 2019|title=Facebook News Criticized for Including Breitbart as 'Trusted' Source|url=https://www.thewrap.com/facebook-news-criticized-for-including-breitbart-as-trusted-source/|date=October 25, 2019|website=[[TheWrap]]|first1=Lindsey|last1=Ellefson|first2=Sean|last2=Burch}}</ref>

On November 17, 2019, the banking data for 29,000 Facebook employees was stolen from a payroll worker's car. The data was stored on unencrypted hard drives and included bank account numbers, employee names, the last four digits of their social security numbers, salaries, bonuses, and equity details. The company didn't realize the hard drives were missing until November 20. Facebook confirmed that the drives contained employee information on November 29. Employees weren't notified of the break-in until December 13, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/13/21020736/facebook-theft-unencrypted-drives-employee-payroll-security|title=A thief stole unencrypted hard drives filled with 29,000 Facebook employees' information|last=Lee|first=Dami|date=December 13, 2019|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=December 14, 2019}}</ref>

On March 10, 2020, Facebook appointed two new directors Tracey Travis and Nancy Killefer to their board of members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloombergquint.com/technology/facebook-names-two-new-directors-making-board-40-women|title=Facebook Names Two New Directors, Making Board 40% Women|website=BloombergQuint|language=en|access-date=March 10, 2020}}</ref>

In June 2020, several major companies including [[Adidas]], [[Aviva]], [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]], [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]], [[InterContinental Hotels Group]], [[Mars, Incorporated|Mars]], [[Starbucks]], [[Target Corporation|Target]], and [[Unilever]], announced they would pause adverts on Facebook for July in support of the [[Stop Hate For Profit]] campaign which claimed the company was not doing enough to remove hateful content.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wakefield|first=Jane|date=June 30, 2020|title=UK hotel and insurance giants pause Facebook ads|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53235302|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref> The BBC noted that this was unlikely to affect the company as most of Facebook's advertising revenue comes from small- to medium-sized businesses.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Clayton|first=James|date=June 29, 2020|title=Could a boycott kill Facebook?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53225139|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>

On August 14, 2020, Facebook started integrating the direct messaging service of [[Instagram]] with its own Messenger for both [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] devices. After the update, an update screen is said to pop up on Instagram's mobile app with the following message, "There's a New Way to Message on Instagram" with a list of additional features. As part of the update, the regular DM icon on the top right corner of Instagram will be replaced by the [[Facebook Messenger]] logo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/14/21369737/facebook-merging-instagram-messenger-chats-update|title=Facebook begins merging Instagram and Messenger chats in new update|access-date=August 14, 2020|website=The Verge|date=August 14, 2020}}</ref>

On September 15, 2020, Facebook launched a climate science information centre to promote authoritative voices on [[climate change]] and provide access of "factual and up-to-date" information on climate science. It featured facts, figures and data from organizations, including the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] (IPCC), [[Met Office]], [[UN Environment Programme]] (UNEP), [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA) and [[World Meteorological Organization]] (WMO), with relevant news posts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/facebook-launches-climate-information-centre-following-california-wildfires-and-misinformation-criticisms-12072342|title=Facebook launches climate information centre following California wildfires and misinformation criticisms|access-date=September 15, 2020|website=Sky News}}</ref>

After the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 U.S. presidential election]], Facebook temporarily increased the weight of ecosystem quality in its news feed algorithm.<ref>{{cite news|last=Roose|first=Kevin|date=December 16, 2020|title=Facebook reverses postelection algorithm changes that boosted news from authoritative sources|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/technology/facebook-reverses-postelection-algorithm-changes-that-boosted-news-from-authoritative-sources|access-date=December 5, 2021}}</ref>

=== 2020–present: FTC lawsuit, corporate re-branding, shut down of facial recognition technology, ease of policy ===

Facebook was sued by the [[Federal Trade Commission]] as well as a coalition of several states for illegal monopolization and antitrust. The FTC and states sought the courts to force Facebook to sell its subsidiaries WhatsApp and [[Instagram]].<ref>{{cite web|date=December 9, 2020|title=FTC Sues Facebook for Illegal Monopolization|url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/12/ftc-sues-facebook-illegal-monopolization|access-date=January 11, 2021|website=Federal Trade Commission|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Canon|first=Gabrielle|date=December 9, 2020|title=Facebook's 'monopoly' must be split up, US and states say in major lawsuits|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/09/facebook-lawsuit-antitrust-whatsapp-instagram-ftc|access-date=January 11, 2021|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The suits were dismissed by a federal judge on June 28, 2021, who stated that there was not enough evidence brought in the suit to determine Facebook to be a monopoly at this point, though allowed the FTC to amend its case to include additional evidence.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/28/22554476/ftc-facebook-instagram-antitrust-case-whatsapp-federal-court | title = Federal court dismisses FTC's bid to unwind Instagram from Facebook | first1 = Makena | last1= Kelly | first2=Russell | last2 = Brandom | date = June 28, 2021 | access-date = June 28, 2021 | work = The Verge }}</ref> In its amended filings in August 2021, the FTC asserted that Facebook had been a monopoly in the area of personal social networks since 2011, distinguishing Facebook's activities from social media services like [[TikTok]] that broadcast content without necessarily limiting that message to intended recipients.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/19/22627032/ftc-facebook-amended-antitrust-complaint-monopoly-instagram-whatsapp | title = FTC says Facebook has been a monopoly 'since at least 2011' in amended antitrust complaint | first1 = Russell | last1= Brandom | first2= Makena | last2= Kelly | date = August 19, 2021 | access-date = August 19, 2021 | work = The Verge }}</ref>

In response to the proposed bill in the Australian Parliament for a [[News Media Bargaining Code]], on February 17, 2021, Facebook blocked Australian users from sharing or viewing news content on its platform, as well as pages of some government, community, union, charity, political, and emergency services.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 17, 2021 |title=Facebook restores health, emergency pages |url=https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/facebook-blocks-qld-and-sa-health-pages-c-2187836|access-date=February 20, 2021|website=7NEWS.com.au|language=en}}</ref> The Australian government strongly criticised the move, saying it demonstrated the "immense market power of these digital social giants".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-56099523|title=Facebook blocks Australian users from viewing or sharing news|work=BBC News|date=February 18, 2021}}</ref>

On February 22, Facebook said it reached an agreement with the Australian government that would see news returning to Australian users in the coming days. As part of this agreement, Facebook and Google can avoid the [[News Media Bargaining Code]] adopted on February 25 if they "reach a commercial bargain with a news business outside the Code".<ref>{{cite act |type= |index= |date=February 25, 2021 |article= |article-type= |legislature=The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia |title=Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) |trans-title= |page= |url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/ems/r6652_ems_2fe103c0-0f60-480b-b878-1c8e96cf51d2/upload_pdf/JC000725.pdf |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Choudhury |first1=Saheli Roy |title=Facebook to restore news pages for Australian users in coming days |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/23/facebook-to-restore-news-pages-for-australian-users-in-coming-days.html |access-date=February 22, 2021 |publisher=CNBC |date=February 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Van Boom|first=Daniel|title=Facebook will reverse news block in Australia|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-will-reverse-news-block-in-australia/|date=February 22, 2021|access-date=February 24, 2021|publisher=CNET}}</ref>

Facebook has been accused of removing and [[shadow banning]] content that spoke either in favor of [[2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest|protesting Indian farmers]] or against [[Narendra Modi]]'s government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Protests About Indian Farming Reforms Have Reached Facebook's Headquarters |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/pranavdixit/protests-indian-farming-facebook |work=BuzzFeed News |date=December 17, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Online censorship claims shadow Indian farmer solidarity protests |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7532961/online-censorship-claims-shadow-indian-farmer-solidarity-protests/ |work=[[Global News]] |date=December 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Farmers' protest page was flagged as spam, clarifies Facebook a day after blocking account |url=https://scroll.in/latest/981912/farmers-protest-page-was-flagged-as-spam-clarifies-facebook-a-day-after-blocking-account |website=Scroll.in |date=December 21, 2020 |archive-date=December 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221120155/https://scroll.in/latest/981912/farmers-protest-page-was-flagged-as-spam-clarifies-Facebook-a-day-after-blocking-account |url-status=live }}</ref> [[India]]-based employees of Facebook are at risk of arrest.<ref>{{cite news |title=India has reportedly threatened to jail Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp employees if the firms don't give up data regarding the farmers protests |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/india-threatens-to-jail-facebook-twitter-workers-over-farmer-protests-2021-3 |work=Business Insider |date=March 5, 2021}}</ref>

On February 27, 2021, Facebook announced Facebook BARS app for [[rappers]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Brings Another TikTok-Like App Specifically for Creating Raps|url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/facebook-bars-app-rap-hip-hop-tiktok-ios-closed-beta-download-npe-2379848|access-date=July 6, 2021|website=NDTV Gadgets 360|language=en}}</ref>

On June 29, 2021, Facebook announced [[Bulletin (service)|Bulletin]], a platform for independent writers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://about.fb.com/news/2021/06/introducing-bulletin-a-platform-for-independent-writers/|publisher=Facebook|title=Introducing Bulletin, A Platform for Independent Writers|author=Brown, Campbell|date=June 29, 2021|access-date=July 6, 2021|archive-date=June 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630000230/https://about.fb.com/news/2021/06/introducing-bulletin-a-platform-for-independent-writers/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bulletin.com/home/|title=Facebook Bulletin|website=Bulletin|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629185521/https://www.bulletin.com/home/}}</ref> Unlike competitors such as [[Substack]], Facebook would not take a cut of subscription fees of writers using that platform upon its launch, like [[Malcolm Gladwell]] and [[Mitch Albom]]. According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'' technology writer Will Oremus, the move was criticized by those who viewed it as an tactic intended by Facebook to force those competitors out of business.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/06/facebook-bulletin-antitrust/|title=A classic Silicon Valley tactic – losing money to crush rivals – comes in for scrutiny|newspaper=The Washington Post|author=Oremus, Will|date=July 6, 2021|access-date=July 6, 2021|archive-date=July 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706144551/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/06/facebook-bulletin-antitrust/}}</ref>

In October 2021, owner Facebook, Inc. changed its company name to [[Meta Platforms|Meta Platforms, Inc.]], or simply "Meta", as it shifts its focus to building the "[[metaverse]]". This change does not affect the name of the Facebook social networking service itself, instead being similar to the creation of [[Alphabet Inc.|Alphabet]] as [[Google]]'s parent company in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 28, 2021|title= Facebook is changing its name to Meta as it focuses on the virtual world |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/28/facebook-meta-name-change/ |access-date=October 28, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Elizabeth|last=Dwoskin|language=en-US}}</ref>

In November 2021, Facebook stated it would stop targeting ads based on data related to health, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, religion and sexual orientation. The change will occur in January and will affect all apps owned by Meta Platforms.<ref>{{cite web|date=November 10, 2021|title=Facebook to stop targeting ads based on race, sexual orientation, and politics |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/11/facebook-to-stop-microtargeting-ads-based-on-race-sexual-orientation-and-politics/ |access-date=November 14, 2021 |website=ArsTechnica |first=Jon |last=Brodkin |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2022, Facebook's daily active users dropped for the first time in its 18-year history. According to Facebook's parent company Meta Networks, DAUs dropped to 1.929 billion in the three months ending in December, down from 1.930 billion the previous quarter. Furthermore, the company warned that revenue growth would slow due to competition from TikTok and YouTube, as well as advertisers cutting back on spending.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2022 |title=Facebook: Daily active users fall for first time in 18-year history |page=1 |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60238565 |access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref>

On March 10, 2022, Facebook announced that it will temporarily ease rules to allow violent speech against 'Russian invaders'.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 11, 2022 |title=Facebook eases rules to allow violent speech against 'Russian invaders' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220311-facebook-eases-rules-to-allow-violent-speech-against-russian-invaders |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> Russia then banned all Meta services, including [[Instagram]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/technology/ukraine-russia-facebook-instagram.html |title=How War in Ukraine Roiled Facebook and Instagram |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 30, 2022 |accessdate=2022-05-05}}</ref>

==== October 4, 2021, global service outage ====

On October 4, 2021, Facebook had its worst outage since 2008. The outage was global in scope, and took down all Facebook properties, including [[Instagram]] and WhatsApp, from approximately 15:39 UTC to 22:05 UTC, and affected roughly three billion users.<ref>{{cite web|last=Subin|first=Samantha|date=October 4, 2021|title=Facebook is suffering its worst outage since 2008|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/facebook-instagram-and-whatsapp-are-down.html|url-status=live|access-date=October 4, 2021|website=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=October 4, 2021|title=Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram suffer worldwide outage|agency=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/facebook-whatsapp-instagram-outage-8b9d3862ed957029e545182a595fdce1|access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Patnaik |first1=Subrat |last2=Mathews |first2=Eva |title=Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp hit by global outage |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/facebook-outages-idUSKBN2GU1TV |access-date=October 4, 2021 |work=Reuters |date=October 4, 2021}}</ref> Security experts identified the problem as a [[Border gateway protocol|BGP]] withdrawal of all of the [[Internet Protocol|IP]] routes to their [[Domain Name System|Domain Name (DNS) servers]] which were all self-hosted at the time.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Duffy|first1=Clare|last2=Lyngaas|first2=Sean|date=October 4, 2021|title=Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp go down|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/04/tech/facebook-instagram-whatsapp-outage/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=October 4, 2021|website=[[CNN Business]]}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> The outage also affected all internal communications systems used by Facebook employees, which disrupted restoration efforts.<ref name=":7">{{cite web|last=Lawler|first=Richard|date=October 4, 2021|title=Facebook is down, along with Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Oculus VR|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/4/22708989/instagram-facebook-outage-messenger-whatsapp-error|url-status=live|access-date=October 4, 2021|website=The Verge}}</ref>

==== Shutdown of facial recognition ====

On November 2, 2021, Facebook announced it would shut down its facial recognition technology and delete the data on over a billion users.<ref>{{cite news|last=Metz |first=Rachel |title=Facebook is shutting down its facial recognition software|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/tech/facebook-shuts-down-facial-recognition/index.html|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref> Meta later announced plans to implement the technology as well as other biometric systems in its future products, such as the [[metaverse]].<ref name="BIFacialRecog">{{cite web|last=Hamilton |first=Isobel Asher |title=Meta says it's getting rid of facial recognition on Facebook — but that won't apply to the metaverse |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-metaverse-meta-facial-recognition-zuckerberg-2021-11 |date=November 4, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2021|website=Business Insider}}</ref>

The shutdown of the technology will reportedly also stop Facebook's automated alt text system, used to transcribe media on the platform for visually impaired users.<ref name="BIFacialRecog" />

Website{{anchor|Features}}[edit]

[[File:Original-facebook.jpg|thumb|Profile shown on Thefacebook in 2005]]

[[File:Facebook.svg|thumb|Previous Facebook logo in use from August 23, 2005, until July 1, 2015]]

=== Technical aspects ===

{{Update|section|inaccurate=yes|date=August 2020|reason=Facebook no longer uses HipHop for PHP}}

The website's primary color is blue as Zuckerberg is [[color blindness|red–green colorblind]], a realization that occurred after a test undertaken around 2007.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Generation Why?|url=http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/25/generation-why/?pagination=false|journal=The New York Review of Books|access-date=February 15, 2014|first=Zadie|last=Smith|date=November 25, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=LETTER FROM PALO ALTO: THE FACE OF FACEBOOK|url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/09/20/100920fa_fact_vargas?currentPage=all|magazine=The New Yorker|publisher=Condé Nast|access-date=February 15, 2014|author=Jose Antonio Vargas|date=September 20, 2010}}</ref> Facebook is built in [[PHP]], compiled with [[HipHop for PHP]], a "source code transformer" built by Facebook engineers that turns PHP into [[C++]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Developer Blog – HipHop for PHP: Move Fast|url=https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2010/02/02/hiphop-for-php--move-fast/|work=Facebook Developers|publisher=Facebook|access-date=November 11, 2013|first=Haiping|last=Zhao|date=February 2, 2010}}</ref> The deployment of HipHop reportedly reduced average CPU consumption on Facebook servers by 50%.<ref name="Ars Technica BTS">{{cite web|first=Ryan|last=Paul|title=Exclusive: a behind-the-scenes look at Facebook release engineering|url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2012/04/exclusive-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-facebook-release-engineering/|website=[[Ars Technica]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast]]|date=April 5, 2012|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref>

==== 2012 architecture ====

Facebook is developed as one monolithic application. According to an interview in 2012 with Facebook build engineer Chuck Rossi, Facebook compiles into a 1.5 GB binary blob which is then distributed to the servers using a custom [[BitTorrent]]-based release system. Rossi stated that it takes about 15 minutes to build and 15 minutes to release to the servers. The build and release process has zero downtime. Changes to Facebook are rolled out daily.<ref name="Ars Technica BTS" />

Facebook used a combination platform based on [[HBase]] to store data across distributed machines. Using a tailing architecture, events are stored in log files, and the logs are tailed. The system rolls these events up and writes them to storage. The user interface then pulls the data out and displays it to users. Facebook handles requests as [[Ajax (programming)|AJAX]] behavior. These requests are written to a log file using [[Scribe (log server)|Scribe]] (developed by Facebook).<ref name="high scalability">{{cite web|url=http://highscalability.com/blog/2011/3/22/facebooks-new-realtime-analytics-system-hbase-to-process-20.html|title=Facebook's New Real-time Analytics System: HBase To Process 20 Billion Events Per Day|publisher=Highscalability.com|date=March 22, 2011|access-date=December 26, 2012}}</ref>

Data is read from these log files using Ptail, an internally built tool to aggregate data from multiple Scribe stores. It tails the log files and pulls data out. Ptail data are separated into three streams and sent to clusters in different [[data center]]s (Plugin impression, News feed impressions, Actions (plugin + news feed)). Puma is used to manage periods of high data flow (Input/Output or IO). Data is processed in batches to lessen the number of times needed to read and write under high demand periods. (A hot article generates many impressions and news feed impressions that cause huge data skews.) Batches are taken every 1.5 seconds, limited by memory used when creating a [[hash table]].<ref name="high scalability" />

Data is then output in PHP format. The backend is written in [[Java (programming language)|Java]]. Thrift is used as the messaging format so PHP programs can query Java services. Caching solutions display pages more quickly. The data is then sent to [[MapReduce]] servers where it is queried via Hive. This serves as a backup as the data can be recovered from Hive.<ref name="high scalability" />

==== Content delivery network (CDN) ====

Facebook uses its own [[content delivery network]] or "edge network" under the domain fbcdn.net for serving static data.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://research.fb.com/blog/2016/04/the-evolution-of-advanced-caching-in-the-facebook-cdn/|title=The Evolution of Advanced Caching in the Facebook CDN|date=April 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation | last=Dwarakanath | first=Navya | title=What I Learned About How Facebook Infrastructure Serves Our Photos | date=August 12, 2019}}</ref> Until the mid 2010s, Facebook also relied on [[Akamai]] for CDN services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://research.facebook.com/publications/an-analysis-of-facebook-photo-caching/|title=An Analysis of Facebook Photo Caching – Meta Research|website=Meta Research}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/85953/does-facebook-use-any-other-cdn-apart-from-akamai-encountered-fbcdn-net-subdoma|title=Does Facebook use any other CDN apart from Akamai? Encountered fbcdn.net subdomain that does not belong to Akamai|website=Web Applications Stack Exchange}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Farahbakhsh | first1=Reza | last2=Cuevas | first2=Angel | last3=Ortiz | first3=Antonio M. | last4=Han | first4=Xiao | last5=Crespi | first5=Noel | s2cid=7987529 | title=How far is Facebook from me? Facebook network infrastructure analysis | journal=IEEE Communications Magazine | publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |arxiv=1705.00717 | volume=53 | issue=9 | year=2015 | issn=0163-6804 | doi=10.1109/mcom.2015.7263357 | pages=134–142}}</ref>

==== Hack programming language ====

On March 20, 2014, Facebook announced a new open-source programming language called [[Hack (programming language)|Hack]]. Before public release, a large portion of Facebook was already running and "battle tested" using the new language.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2014/03/facebook-hack/|title=Facebook Introduces 'Hack', the Programming Language of the Future|date=March 20, 2014|magazine=Wired|first=Cade|last=Metz}}</ref>

=== User profile/personal timeline ===

[[File:Screen of Facebook (2).PNG|thumb|Facebook login/signup screen]]

Each registered user on Facebook has a personal profile that shows their posts and content.<ref>{{cite web|first=Kate|last=Knibbs|title=How Facebook's design has changed over the last 10 years|url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/old-facebook-profiles-news-feeds/|website=[[The Daily Dot]]|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> The format of individual user pages was revamped in September 2011 and became known as "Timeline", a chronological feed of a user's stories,<ref>{{cite web|first=Jacob|last=Schulman|title=Facebook introduces Timeline: 'a new way to express who you are'|url=https://www.theverge.com/2011/09/22/facebook-introduces-timeline-a-express-are|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=September 22, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Chris|last=Gayomali|title=Facebook Introduces 'Timeline': The 'Story' of Your Life|url=http://techland.time.com/2011/09/22/facebook-introduces-timeline-the-story-of-your-life/|magazine=Time|date=September 22, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> including status updates, photos, interactions with apps and events.<ref name="TNW Timeline">{{cite web|first=Matthew|last=Panzarino|title=Facebook introduces radical new profile design called Timeline: The story of your life [Video]|url=https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2011/09/22/facebook-introduces-timeline-the-story-of-your-life/|website=The Next Web|date=September 22, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> The layout let users add a "cover photo".<ref name="TNW Timeline" /> Users were given more privacy settings.<ref name="TNW Timeline" /> In 2007, Facebook launched Facebook Pages for brands and celebrities to interact with their fanbases.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Weaver|title=The Evolution of Facebook for Brands|url=http://mashable.com/2012/03/30/facebook-for-brands/|website=[[Mashable]]|date=March 30, 2012|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Before Graph Search: Facebook's Biggest Changes|url=http://uk.pcmag.com/internet-products/58174/gallery/before-graph-search-facebooks-biggest-changes?p=3|website=PC Magazine|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|access-date=June 14, 2017|date=January 15, 2013 }}</ref> 100,000 Pages{{explain|date=February 2022}} launched in November.<ref>{{cite news|first=Rob|last=Hof|title=Facebook Declares New Era for Advertising|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-11-05/facebook-declares-new-era-for-advertising|website=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]|date=November 6, 2007|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> In June 2009, Facebook introduced a "Usernames" feature, allowing users to choose a unique nickname used in the [[Uniform resource locator|URL]] for their personal profile, for easier sharing.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ben|last=Parr|title=Facebook to Launch Vanity URLs for All|url=http://mashable.com/2009/06/09/facebook-vanity-urls/|website=[[Mashable]]|date=June 9, 2009|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=O'Neill|title=Facebook Begins Rolling Out Free Profile Usernames For Vanity URLs|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/facebook-begins-rolling-out-free-profile-usernames-for-vanity-urls/|website=[[Adweek]]|publisher=Beringer Capital|date=June 9, 2009|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref>

In February 2014, Facebook expanded the gender setting, adding a custom input field that allows users to choose from a wide range of gender identities. Users can also set which set of gender-specific pronoun should be used in reference to them throughout the site.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Jordan|last1=Crook|first2=Josh|last2=Constine|title=Facebook Opens Up LGBTQ-Friendly Gender Identity And Pronoun Options|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/13/facebook-gender-identity/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=February 13, 2014|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook expands gender options: transgender activists hail 'big advance'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/13/transgender-facebook-expands-gender-options|website=The Guardian|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Alexei|last=Oreskovic|title=In new profile feature, Facebook offers choices for gender identity|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-gender-idUSBREA1C1RU20140214|website=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|date=February 13, 2014|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> In May 2014, Facebook introduced a feature to allow users to ask for information not disclosed by other users on their profiles. If a user does not provide key information, such as location, hometown, or relationship status, other users can use a new "ask" button to send a message asking about that item to the user in a single click.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sam|last=Machkovech|title=Facebook adds naggy "ask" button to profile pages|url=https://arstechnica.com/business/2014/05/facebook-introduces-naggy-ask-function-into-profile-pages/|website=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast|date=May 16, 2014|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Laura|last=Stampler|title=Facebook's New 'Ask' Button Gives You a Whole New Way to Badger Friends About Their Relationship Status|url=http://time.com/104720/facebooks-new-ask-button-gives-you-a-whole-new-way-to-badger-friends-about-their-relationship-status/|magazine=Time|date=May 19, 2014|access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref>

=== News Feed ===

[[News Feed]] appears on every user's homepage and highlights information including profile changes, upcoming events and friends' birthdays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=2207967130|title=Facebook Gets a Facelift|access-date=February 11, 2008|last=Sanghvi|first=Ruchi|date=September 6, 2006|publisher=The Facebook Blog}}</ref> This enabled spammers and other users to manipulate these features by creating illegitimate events or posting fake birthdays to attract attention to their profile or cause.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.colnect.com/2010/03/facebook-celebrate-your-birthday-every.html|title=Facebook: Celebrate Your Birthday Every Day|publisher=Colnect blog|access-date=March 9, 2010}}</ref> Initially, the News Feed caused dissatisfaction among Facebook users; some complained it was too cluttered and full of undesired information, others were concerned that it made it too easy for others to track individual activities (such as relationship status changes, events, and conversations with other users).<ref>{{cite news|access-date=June 28, 2008|url=http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2006/tc20060908_536553.htm|title=Facebook Learns from Its Fumble|work=BusinessWeek|location=New York|date=September 8, 2006|author=Lacy, Sarah|author-link=Sarah Lacy}}</ref> Zuckerberg apologized for the site's failure to include appropriate privacy features. Users then gained control over what types of information are shared automatically with friends. Users are now able to prevent user-set categories of friends from seeing updates about certain types of activities, including profile changes, Wall posts and newly added friends.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=June 28, 2008|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192700574|title=Facebook Founder Apologizes in Privacy Flap; Users Given More Control|work=[[InformationWeek]]|location=New York|date=September 8, 2006|author=Gonsalves, Antone}}</ref>

On February 23, 2010, Facebook was granted a patent<ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=7669123|status=patent}}</ref> on certain aspects of its News Feed. The patent covers News Feeds in which links are provided so that one user can participate in the activity of another user.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://themelis-cuiper.com/22/us-patent-no-7669123.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515155132/http://themelis-cuiper.com/22/us-patent-no-7669123.html|archive-date=May 15, 2011|title=US Patent No. 7669123|access-date=March 9, 2010|publisher=Social Media|date=March 1, 2010}}</ref> The sorting and display of stories in a user's News Feed is governed by the [[EdgeRank]] algorithm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgerank.net/|title=EdgeRank|date=October 29, 2007|publisher=EdgeRank|access-date=February 16, 2013}}</ref>

The [[Facebook features#Photo and video uploads|Photos]] application allows users to upload albums and photos.<ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Arrington|author-link=Michael Arrington|title=Facebook Launches Facebook Platform; They are the Anti-MySpace|url=https://techcrunch.com/2007/05/24/facebook-launches-facebook-platform-they-are-the-anti-myspace/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=May 24, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> Each album can contain 200 photos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=87157517130|title=Share More Memories with Larger Photo Albums|access-date=January 4, 2010}}</ref> Privacy settings apply to individual albums. Users can "[[tag (metadata)|tag]]", or label, friends in a photo. The friend receives a notification about the tag with a link to the photo.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=March 15, 2008|url=https://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=7|title=Photos|publisher=Facebook|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731205244/https://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=7|archive-date=July 31, 2008}}</ref> This photo tagging feature was developed by Aaron Sittig, now a Design Strategy Lead at Facebook, and former Facebook engineer Scott Marlette back in 2006 and was only granted a [[patent]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/facebooks-first-20-employees-2011-5#aaron-sittig-was-brought-on-by-sean-parker-he-created-the-concept-of-tagging-friends-in-facebook-pictures-4|title=The First 20 Facebook Employees: Where Are They Now?|last=Shontell|first=Alyson|date=May 13, 2011|website=Business Insider|access-date=September 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/facebook-patent-photo-tagging/|title=Facebook Wins Patents For Tagging in Photos, Other Digital Media|last=Cutler|first=Kim-Mai|date=May 17, 2011|website=[[Adweek]]|access-date=September 10, 2019}}</ref>

On June 7, 2012, Facebook launched its App Center to help users find games and other applications.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/Facebook-to-launch-App-Center/articleshow/13920641.cms|title=Facebook to launch App Center|date=June 8, 2012|work=The Times Of India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608112718/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/Facebook-to-launch-App-Center/articleshow/13920641.cms|archive-date=June 8, 2012}}</ref>

On May 13, 2015, Facebook in association with major news portals launched "Instant Articles" to provide news on the Facebook news feed without leaving the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.fb.com/2015/05/12/instantarticles/|title=Introducing Instant Articles – Facebook Media|work=fb.com|access-date=May 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514162847/http://media.fb.com/2015/05/12/instantarticles/|archive-date=May 14, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://previewtech.net/facebook-launches-instant-articles/|title=Facebook launches "Instant Articles"|work=Preview Tech|date=May 14, 2015 }}</ref>

In January 2017, Facebook launched Facebook Stories for iOS and Android in Ireland. The feature, following the format of [[Snapchat]] and Instagram stories, allows users to upload photos and videos that appear above friends' and followers' News Feeds and disappear after 24 hours.<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Stories puts a Snapchat clone above the News Feed|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/25/facebook-stories/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=January 25, 2017|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

On October 11, 2017, Facebook introduced the [[Facebook 3D Posts|3D Posts]] feature to allow for uploading interactive 3D assets.<ref>{{cite web|first=Rachel|last=Franklin|title=Building Connections Through Creativity and Opening VR to Everyone|url=https://www.oculus.com/blog/building-connections-through-creativity-and-opening-vr-to-everyone/|website=Oculus|date=October 11, 2017|access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref> On January 11, 2018, Facebook announced that it would change News Feed to prioritize friends/family content and de-emphasize content from media companies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/technology/facebook-news-feed.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112003129/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/technology/facebook-news-feed.html |archive-date=2018-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Facebook Overhauls News Feed to Focus on What Friends and Family Share|last=Isaac|first=Mike|date=2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 17, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In February 2020, Facebook announced it would spend $1 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1000000000|2020}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) to license news material from publishers for the next three years; a pledge coming as the company falls under scrutiny from governments across the globe over not paying for news content appearing on the platform. The pledge would be in addition to the $600 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|600000000|2020}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) paid since 2018 through deals with news companies such as ''[[The Guardian]]'' and ''[[Financial Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ziobro|first=Paul|date=February 24, 2021|title=Facebook to Spend $1 Billion on News Content Over Three Years|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-to-spend-1-billion-on-news-content-over-three-years-11614187391|access-date=February 24, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UPDATE 1-Facebook says it inadvertently blocked content during Australia news ban|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-facebook-says-inadvertently-blocked-115740188.html|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=finance.yahoo.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Barker|first=Alex|title=Facebook pledges to pay $1bn for news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/facebook-pledges-to-pay-1bn-for-news-1.4493909|access-date=February 24, 2021|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>

In March and April 2021, in response to Apple announcing changes to its iOS device's [[Identifier for Advertisers]] policy, which included requiring app developers to directly request to users the ability to track on an opt-in basis, Facebook purchased full-page newspaper advertisements attempting to convince users to allow tracking, highlighting the effects targeted ads have on small businesses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Takes Out Full-Page Newspaper Ads to Attack Apple's iOS Privacy Changes|url=https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/16/facebook-takes-out-full-page-ads-to-attack-apple/|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=MacRumors|language=en}}</ref> Facebook's efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, as Apple released iOS 14.5 in late April 2021, containing the feature for users in what has been deemed "App Tracking Transparency". Moreover, statistics from [[Verizon Communications]] subsidiary Flurry Analytics show 96% of all iOS users in the United States are not permitting tracking at all, and only 12% of worldwide iOS users are allowing tracking, which some news outlets deem "Facebook's nightmare", among similar terms.<ref>{{cite web|last=Datti|first=Sharmishte|date=May 12, 2021|title=Apple's App Tracking Transparency Becomes Facebook's Nightmare: Only 4% Allow Tracking|url=https://www.gizbot.com/mobile/news/apple-app-tracking-transparency-becomes-facebook-nightmare-only-4-percent-allow-tracking-074217.html|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=gizbot.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Apple Might Have Just Put and End to Facebook|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/apple-s-app-tracking-transparency-update-is-turning-out-to-be-the-worst-case-scenario-for-facebook/ar-BB1gDK55|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=www.msn.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=May 9, 2021|title=Apple vs Facebook: 96 Percent Users Disabling App Tracking So Far, Claims Report|url=https://www.news18.com/news/tech/apple-vs-facebook-96-percent-users-disabling-app-tracking-so-far-claims-report-3720917.html|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=www.news18.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Heisler|first=Yoni|date=May 11, 2021|title=New data shows how devastating Apple's new anti-tracking feature is for Facebook|url=https://bgr.com/tech/ios-14-update-app-tracking-transparency-facebook-percentage-5924882/|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=BGR|language=en-US}}</ref> Despite the news, Facebook has stated that the new policy and software update would be "manageable".<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Says Impact of iOS 14.5's App Tracking Transparency Will Be 'Manageable'|url=https://www.macrumors.com/2021/04/28/facebook-att-impact-manageable/|access-date=May 12, 2021|website=MacRumors|language=en}}</ref>

=== Like button ===

[[File:Facebook advertising.jpg|thumb|Human billboard advertising Facebook Canberra in the City page at the [[National Multicultural Festival]]]]The "like" button, stylized as a "thumbs up" icon, was first enabled on February 9, 2009,<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|title=Facebook Activates "Like" Button; FriendFeed Tires Of Sincere Flattery|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/02/09/facebook-activates-like-button-friendfeed-tires-of-sincere-flattery/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=February 9, 2009|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> and enables users to easily interact with status updates, comments, photos and videos, links shared by friends, and advertisements. Once clicked by a user, the designated content is more likely to appear in friends' [[News Feed]]s.<ref>{{cite web|first=JP|last=Mangalindan|title=Facebook Likes don't go as far as they used to in News Feed update|url=http://mashable.com/2015/04/21/news-feed-facebook-likes/|website=[[Mashable]]|date=April 21, 2015|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=How Facebook News Feed Works|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/06/ultimate-guide-to-the-news-feed/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=September 6, 2016|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> The button displays the number of other users who have liked the content.<ref>{{cite web|title=Like and React to Posts|url=https://www.facebook.com/help/1624177224568554/|website=Facebook Help Center|publisher=Facebook|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> The like button was extended to comments in June 2010.<ref>{{cite web|first=Chloe|last=Albanesius|title=Facebook Adds Ability to 'Like' Comments|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365190,00.asp|website=PC Magazine|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=June 17, 2010|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> In February 2016, Facebook expanded Like into "Reactions", choosing among five pre-defined emotions, including "Love", "Haha", "Wow", "Sad", or "Angry".<ref name="verge-reactions">{{cite web|first=Casey|last=Newton|title=Facebook rolls out expanded Like button reactions around the world|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/2/24/11094374/facebook-reactions-like-button|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=February 24, 2016|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Liz|last=Stinson|title=Facebook Reactions, the Totally Redesigned Like Button, Is Here|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/02/facebook-reactions-totally-redesigned-like-button|journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]]|date=February 24, 2016|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Natt|last=Garun|title=Facebook reactions have now infiltrated comments|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/3/15536812/facebook-reactions-now-available-comments|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Cohen|title=Facebook Just Extended Reactions to Comments|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/facebook-reactions-comments/|website=[[Adweek]]|publisher=Beringer Capital|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref> In late April 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], a new "Care" reaction was added.<ref name="Verge: Care button">{{cite web |last1=Lyles |first1=Taylor |title=Facebook adds a 'care' reaction to the like button 5 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/17/21224805/facebook-care-reaction-like-button-messenger-app |website=The Verge |date=April 17, 2020 |access-date=May 2, 2020}}</ref>

=== Instant messaging ===

Facebook Messenger is an [[instant messaging]] service and software application. It began as Facebook Chat in 2008,<ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Hendrickson|title=Facebook Chat Launches, For Some|url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/04/06/facebook-chat-enters-pre-release-beta/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=April 6, 2008|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> was revamped in 2010<ref>{{cite web|first=MG|last=Siegler|title=Facebook's Modern Messaging System: Seamless, History, And A Social Inbox|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/11/15/facebook-messaging/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=November 15, 2010|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and eventually became a standalone mobile app in August 2011, while remaining part of the user page on browsers.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|title=Facebook Launches Standalone iPhone/Android Messenger App (And It's Beluga)|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/08/09/facebook-launches-standalone-mobile-messenger-app-and-it%E2%80%99s-beluga/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=August 9, 2011|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref>

Complementing regular conversations, Messenger lets users make one-to-one<ref>{{cite web|first=Hope|last=King|title=Facebook Messenger now lets you make video calls|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/04/27/technology/facebook-messenger-mobile-video-call/|website=[[CNN]]|date=April 27, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and group<ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Statt|title=Facebook Messenger now lets you video chat with up to 50 people|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/19/14006752/facebook-messenger-group-video-chat-feature-update|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=December 19, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> [[Voice over IP|voice]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Ellis|last=Hamburger|title=Facebook launches free calling for all iPhone users in the US|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/16/3883538/facebook-launches-free-calling-in-messenger-for-iphone-us|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=January 16, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and [[Videotelephony|video calls]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Messenger Launches Free VOIP Video Calls Over Cellular And Wi-Fi|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/27/facebook-messenger-video-chat/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=April 27, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> Its Android app has integrated support for [[SMS]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Charles|last=Arthur|title=Facebook turns Messenger into a text message killer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/dec/04/facebook-messenger-android-sms-killer|website=The Guardian|date=December 4, 2012|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and "Chat Heads", which are round profile photo icons appearing on-screen regardless of what app is open,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chat Heads come to Facebook Messenger for Android|url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/4/12/4216838/facebook-updates-messenger-adds-chat-heads|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=April 12, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> while both apps support multiple accounts,<ref>{{cite web|first=Sarah|last=Perez|title=Facebook Tests SMS Integration in Messenger, Launches Support For Multiple Accounts|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/11/facebook-tests-sms-integration-in-messenger-launches-support-for-multiple-accounts/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=February 11, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> conversations with optional [[end-to-end encryption]]<ref>{{cite journal|first=Andy|last=Greenberg|title=You Can All Finally Encrypt Facebook Messenger, So Do It|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/10/facebook-completely-encrypted-messenger-update-now/|journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]]|date=October 4, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and "Instant Games".<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Messenger launches Instant Games|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/29/messenger-instant-games/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=November 29, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> Some features, including sending money<ref name="US-feature">{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Introduces Free Friend-To-Friend Payments Through Messages|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/facebook-pay/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=March 17, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and requesting transportation,<ref>{{cite web|first=Andrew J.|last=Hawkins|title=Facebook Messenger now lets you hail an Uber car|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/16/10303878/facebook-messenger-uber-app-integration-API|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=December 16, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> are limited to the United States.<ref name="US-feature" /> In 2017, Facebook added "Messenger Day", a feature that lets users share photos and videos in a story-format with all their friends with the content disappearing after 24 hours;<ref>{{cite web|first=James|last=Vincent|title=Facebook's Snapchat stories clone, Messenger Day, is now rolling out globally|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/9/14867192/facebook-messenger-snapchat-stories-clone-day|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=March 9, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> Reactions, which lets users tap and hold a message to add a reaction through an [[emoji]];<ref name="verge-mentions">{{cite web|first=James|last=Vincent|title=Facebook Messenger gets reactions for individual messages and @ notifications|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/23/15033810/facebook-messenger-notifications-reactions|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=March 23, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> and Mentions, which lets users in group conversations type @ to give a particular user a notification.<ref name="verge-mentions" />

Businesses and users can interact through Messenger with features such as tracking purchases and receiving notifications, and interacting with customer service representatives. Third-party developers can integrate apps into Messenger, letting users enter an app while inside Messenger and optionally share details from the app into a chat.<ref>{{cite web|first=Hope|last=King|title=7 big changes coming to Facebook|url=https://money.cnn.com/2015/03/25/technology/facebook-f8-messenger/|website=CNN|date=March 25, 2015|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> Developers can build [[Software agent|chatbots]] into Messenger, for uses such as news publishers building bots to distribute news.<ref>{{cite web|first=Casey|last=Newton|title=Facebook launches a bot platform for Messenger|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/12/11395806/facebook-messenger-bot-platform-announced-f8-conference|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> The [[M (virtual assistant)|M virtual assistant]] (U.S.) scans chats for keywords and suggests relevant actions, such as its payments system for users mentioning money.<ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Statt|title=Facebook's AI assistant will now offer suggestions inside Messenger|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/6/15200836/facebook-messenger-m-suggestions-ai-assisant|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=April 6, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Messenger's AI 'M' suggests features to use based on your convos|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/06/facebook-messengers-ai-m-suggests-features-to-use-based-on-your-convos/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=April 6, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref> Group chatbots appear in Messenger as "Chat Extensions". A "Discovery" tab allows finding bots, and enabling special, branded [[QR code]]s that, when scanned, take the user to a specific bot.<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook Messenger launches group bots and bot discovery tab|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/18/facebook-bot-discovery/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=April 18, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017}}</ref>

=== Privacy policy ===

{{See also|#Privacy}}Facebook's data policy outlines its policies for collecting, storing, and sharing user's data.<ref name="Data Policy">{{cite web|access-date=October 20, 2021|work=Facebook.com|title="Data Policy"|url=https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/previous}}</ref> Facebook enables users to control access to individual posts and their profile<ref>{{cite web|access-date=June 13, 2009|url=https://www.facebook.com/privacy/?view=search|title=Search Privacy|publisher=Facebook}}</ref> through [[privacy settings]].<ref name="Choose Your Privacy Settings">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy|title=Choose Your Privacy Settings|publisher=Facebook|access-date=September 10, 2009}}</ref> The user's name and profile picture (if applicable) are public.

Facebook's revenue depends on targeted advertising, which involves analyzing user data to decide which ads to show each user. Facebook buys data from third parties, gathered from both online and offline sources, to supplement its own data on users. Facebook maintains that it does not share data used for targeted advertising with the advertisers themselves.<ref>{{Cite news|title="What Facebook's privacy policy allows may surprise you"|last1=Ortutay|first1=Barbare|date=March 25, 2018|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-facebook-privacy-policy-20180325-story.html}}</ref> The company states:

<blockquote>"We provide advertisers with reports about the kinds of people seeing their ads and how their ads are performing, but we don't share information that personally identifies you (information such as your name or email address that by itself can be used to contact you or identifies who you are) unless you give us permission. For example, we provide general demographic and interest information to advertisers (for example, that an ad was seen by a woman between the ages of 25 and 34 who lives in Madrid and likes software engineering) to help them better understand their audience. We also confirm which Facebook ads led you to make a purchase or take an action with an advertiser."<ref name="Data Policy" /></blockquote>

{{As of|October 2021}}, Facebook claims it uses the following policy for sharing user data with third parties:

<blockquote>Apps, websites, and third-party integrations on or using our Products.

When you choose to use third-party apps, websites, or other services that use, or are integrated with, our Products, they can receive information about what you post or share. For example, when you play a game with your Facebook friends or use a Facebook Comment or Share button on a website, the game developer or website can receive information about your activities in the game or receive a comment or link that you share from the website on Facebook. Also, when you download or use such third-party services, they can access your public profile on Facebook, and any information that you share with them. Apps and websites you use may receive your list of Facebook friends if you choose to share it with them. But apps and websites you use will not be able to receive any other information about your Facebook friends from you, or information about any of your Instagram followers (although your friends and followers may, of course, choose to share this information themselves). Information collected by these third-party services is subject to their own terms and policies, not this one.

Devices and operating systems providing native versions of Facebook and Instagram (i.e. where we have not developed our own first-party apps) will have access to all information you choose to share with them, including information your friends share with you, so they can provide our core functionality to you.

Note: We are in the process of restricting developers' data access even further to help prevent abuse. For example, we will remove developers' access to your Facebook and Instagram data if you haven't used their app in 3 months, and we are changing Login, so that in the next version, we will reduce the data that an app can request without app review to include only name, Instagram username and bio, profile photo and email address. Requesting any other data will require our approval.<ref name="Data Policy" /></blockquote>

Facebook will also share data with law enforcement.<ref name="Data Policy" />

Facebook's policies have changed repeatedly since the service's debut, amid a series of controversies covering everything from how well it secures user data, to what extent it allows users to control access, to the kinds of access given to third parties, including businesses, political campaigns and governments. These facilities vary according to country, as some nations require the company to make data available (and limit access to services), while the European Union's [[General Data Protection Regulation|GDPR]] regulation mandates additional privacy protections.<ref name=wsj15>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebooks-timeline-15-years-in-11549276201|title=Facebook's Timeline: 15 Years In|last1=Wilberding|first1=Kurt|date=February 4, 2019|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=February 6, 2019|last2=Wells|first2=Georgia|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

=== Bug Bounty Program ===

[[File:Facebook t-shirt with whitehat debit card for Hackers.jpg|thumb|A Facebook "[[White hat (computer security)|White Hat]]" debit card, given to researchers who report [[security bug]]s.]]

On July 29, 2011, Facebook announced its Bug Bounty Program that paid security researchers a minimum of $500 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|500|2011}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) for reporting security holes. The company promised not to pursue "white hat" hackers who identified such problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://facebook.com/whitehat|title=Facebook|publisher=Facebook|access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2389460,00.asp|title=Facebook Offers $500 Bounty for Reporting Bugs: Why So Cheap|magazine=PC Magazine|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref> This led researchers in many countries to participate, particularly in India and Russia.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bug Bounty|first=Facebook|title=Facebook Bug Bounty|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-bug-bounty/bug-bounty-highlights-and-updates/818902394790655|publisher=Facebook Security|access-date=April 3, 2014}}</ref>

== Reception ==

=== Userbase ===

Facebook's rapid growth began as soon as it became available and continued through 2018, before beginning to decline.

Facebook passed 100 million registered users in 2008,<ref>{{cite web|first=Stan|last=Schroeder|title=Facebook's 100 Million Users: How Much are They Worth?|url=http://mashable.com/2008/08/26/facebook-100-million-users/|website=[[Mashable]]|date=August 26, 2008|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref> and 500 million in July 2010.<ref name="500 million">{{cite web|first=Robin|last=Wauters|title=Zuckerberg Makes It Official: Facebook Hits 500 Million Members|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/21/facebook-500-million/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=July 21, 2010|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref> According to the company's data at the July 2010 announcement, half of the site's membership used Facebook daily, for an average of 34 minutes, while 150 million users accessed the site by mobile.<ref name="Quiet revolution">{{cite web|first1=Charles|last1=Arthur|first2=Jemima|last2=Kiss|title=Facebook reaches 500 million users|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/jul/21/facebook-500-million-users|website=The Guardian|date=July 21, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref>

In October 2012, Facebook's monthly active users passed one billion,<ref name="One billion users">{{cite web|first1=Aaron|last1=Smith|first2=Laurie|last2=Segal|first3=Stacy|last3=Cowley|title=Facebook reaches one billion users|url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/10/04/technology/facebook-billion-users/|website=CNN|date=October 4, 2012|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jemima|last=Kiss|title=Facebook hits 1 billion users a month|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/oct/04/facebook-hits-billion-users-a-month|website=The Guardian|date=October 4, 2012|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref> with 600 million mobile users, 219 billion photo uploads, and 140 billion friend connections.<ref name="Billion statistics">{{cite web|first=Daniel|last=Ionescu|title=Facebook rules the social networking world with 1 billion users|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2011123/facebook-rules-the-social-networking-world-with-1-billion-users.html|website=[[PC World]]|publisher=[[International Data Group]]|date=October 4, 2012|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref> The 2 billion user mark was crossed in June 2017.<ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Welch|title=Facebook crosses 2 billion monthly users|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/27/15880494/facebook-2-billion-monthly-users-announced|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=June 27, 2017|access-date=June 27, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Constine|title=Facebook now has 2 billion monthly users ... and responsibility|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/27/facebook-2-billion-users/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=June 27, 2017|access-date=July 1, 2017}}</ref>

In November 2015, after skepticism about the accuracy of its "monthly active users" measurement, Facebook changed its definition to a logged-in member who visits the Facebook site through the web browser or mobile app, or uses the [[Facebook Messenger]] app, in the 30-day period prior to the measurement. This excluded the use of third-party services with Facebook integration, which was previously counted.<ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Cohen|title=Facebook Changes Definition of Monthly Active Users|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/monthly-active-users-definition-revised/|website=[[Adweek]]|publisher=Beringer Capital|date=November 6, 2015|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref>

From 2017 to 2019, the percentage of the U.S. population over the age of 12 who use Facebook has declined, from 67% to 61% (a decline of some 15 million U.S. users), with a higher drop-off among younger Americans (a decrease in the percentage of U.S. 12- to 34-year-olds who are users from 58% in 2015 to 29% in 2019).<ref name=Heeti>Abrar Al-Heeti, [https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-lost-15-million-us-users-in-the-past-two-years-report-says/ Facebook lost 15 million US users in the past two years, report says], CNET (March 6, 2019).</ref><ref name=Statt>Nick Statt, [https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/6/18253274/facebook-users-decline-15-million-people-united-states-privacy-scandals Facebook's US user base declined by 15 million since 2017, according to survey], ''The Verge'' (March 6, 2019).</ref> The decline coincided with an increase in the popularity of Instagram, which is also owned by Meta.<ref name=Heeti /><ref name=Statt />

The number of daily active users experienced a quarterly decline for the first time in the last quarter of 2021, down to 1.929 billion from 1.930 billion,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60238565|title=Facebook: Daily active users fall for first time in 18-year history|work=BBC News |date=February 3, 2022}}</ref> but increased again the next quarter despite being banned in Russia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61250669|title=Daily Facebook users up again after first-ever decline|work=BBC News |date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>

Historically, commentators have offered predictions of Facebook's decline or end, based on causes such as a declining user base;<ref>{{cite web|last1=Heaven|first1=Will|title=Is this the beginning of the end for Facebook?|url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100092236/is-this-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-facebook/|website=The Daily Telegraph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314014241/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100092236/is-this-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-facebook/|archive-date=March 14, 2012|url-status=dead|date=June 14, 2011}}</ref> the legal difficulties of being a [[closed platform]], inability to generate revenue, inability to offer user privacy, inability to adapt to mobile platforms, or Facebook ending itself to present a next generation replacement;<ref name="Silverman 2012">{{cite web|last1=Silverman|first1=Matt|title=The End of Facebook: What Will It Take to Kill the King of Social?|url=https://mashable.com/2012/06/13/facebook-decline|website=[[Mashable]]|language=en|date=June 13, 2012}}</ref> or Facebook's role in [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bilton|first1=Nick|title=This Could Be the End of Facebook|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/this-could-be-the-end-of-facebook-hive-podcast|website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|language=en|date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>

{{Image frame

| align=left

| caption=Facebook popularity. Active users (in millions) of Facebook increased from just a million in 2004 to 2.8 billion in 2020.<ref name=wsj15 /><ref>{{cite web |title=Number of monthly active Facebook users worldwide as of 2nd quarter 2021 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/ |publisher=Statista |access-date=September 6, 2021}}</ref>

| content = {{Graph:Chart

| width = 400

| height = 220

| type = line

| x = 2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020

| y = 1,10,20,50,100,350,500,750,950,1100,1400,1600,1800,2000,2320,2498,2797

}}

File:Population pyramid of Facebook users by age.png|[[Population pyramid]] of Facebook users by age {{as of|2010}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/01/04/december-data-on-facebook%E2%80%99s-us-growth-by-age-and-gender-beyond-100-million/|title=December Data on Facebook's US Growth by Age and Gender: Beyond 100 Million – Inside Facebook|work=Inside Facebook|access-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref>

</gallery>

=== Demographics ===

The highest number of Facebook users as of October 2018 are from India and the United States, followed by Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/268136/top-15-countries-based-on-number-of-facebook-users/|title=Facebook users by country {{!}} Statistic|website=Statista|access-date=February 4, 2019}}</ref> Region-wise, the highest number of users are from Asia-Pacific (947 million) followed by Europe (381 million) and US-Canada (242 million). The rest of the world has 750 million users.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dazeinfo.com/2018/08/20/facebook-users-by-region-dgraph/|title=Number of Facebook Monthly Active Users Worldwide, By Region – DGraph|last=Khan|first=Aarzu|date=August 19, 2018|website=Dazeinfo|access-date=February 4, 2019}}</ref>

Over the 2008–2018 period, the percentage of users under 34 declined to less than half of the total.<ref name="wsj15" />

=== Censorship ===

In many countries the social networking sites and mobile apps have been blocked temporarily or permanently, including [[China]],<ref>{{cite web|first=Robin|last=Wauters|title=China Blocks Access To Twitter, Facebook After Riots|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/07/china-blocks-access-to-twitter-facebook-after-riots/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=July 7, 2009|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> [[Iran]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Iranian government blocks Facebook access|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/may/24/facebook-banned-iran|website=The Guardian|date=May 24, 2009|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> [[Vietnam]],<ref>{{cite news |title=MAP: Here Are the Countries That Block Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/03/turkey-facebook-youtube-twitter-blocked/ |work=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |date=March 28, 2014}}</ref> [[Pakistan]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan lifts Facebook ban but 'blasphemous' pages stay hidden |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/may/31/pakistan-lifts-facebook-ban |work=The Guardian |date=May 31, 2010}}</ref> [[Syria]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Syria Restores Access to Facebook and YouTube |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/world/middleeast/10syria.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210033047/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/world/middleeast/10syria.html |archive-date=2011-02-10 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |date=February 9, 2011}}</ref> and [[North Korea]]. In May 2018, the government of [[Papua New Guinea]] announced that it would ban Facebook for a month while it considered the impact of the website on the country, though no ban has since occurred.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook to be banned in Papua New Guinea for a month|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44290012|website=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=May 29, 2018|access-date=May 30, 2018}}</ref> In 2019, Facebook announced it would start enforcing its ban on users, including [[Internet celebrity|influencers]], promoting any [[Electronic cigarette|vape]], [[tobacco]] products, or [[weapon]]s on its platforms.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/18/tech/instagram-influencers-vaping-guns/index.html|title=Instagram influencers can no longer promote vaping and guns|author=Kaya Yurieff|website=CNN|date=December 18, 2019|access-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref>

== Criticisms and controversies ==

We're proud to join #StopHateForProfit

"I'm here today because I believe Facebook's products harm children, stoke division, and weaken our democracy. The company's leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but won't make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people."

}}

Cutting ties with a giant: Viber CEO on Facebook relations and #StopHateForProfit

| url = https://www.thedailystar.net/bytes/news/cutting-ties-giant-viber-ceo-facbook-relations-and-stophateforprofit-1952021

| work = [[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]]

Error: No text given for quotation (or equals sign used in the actual argument to an unnamed parameter)

{{mdash}}Mark Zuckerberg, responding to [[Frances Haugen]]'s revelations (2021).<ref>{{cite web |title=Mark Zuckerberg says whistleblower's claims that Facebook places profit over people 'don't make any sense.' Read his full response to the whistleblower's testimony. |date=October 6, 2021 |url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-whistleblower-claims-dont-make-sense-2021-10 |via=businessinsider.com |first=Isobel Asher |last=Hamilton}}</ref>

|quote="I don't believe private companies should make all of the decisions on their own. That's why we have advocated for updated internet regulations for several years now. I have testified in Congress multiple times and asked them to update these regulations. I've written op-eds outlining the areas of regulation we think are most important related to elections, harmful content, privacy, and competition."}}

Facebook's importance and scale has led to criticisms in many domains. Issues include [[Internet privacy]], excessive retention of user information,<ref>{{cite news|first=Maria|last=Aspen|title=How Sticky Is Membership on Facebook? Just Try Breaking Free|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11facebook.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212190105/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/technology/11facebook.html |archive-date=2008-02-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The New York Times|date=February 11, 2008|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> its [[Facial recognition system|facial recognition]] software, [[DeepFace]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Sebastian|last=Anthony|title=Facebook's facial recognition software is now as accurate as the human brain, but what now?|url=http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/178777-facebooks-facial-recognition-software-is-now-as-accurate-as-the-human-brain-but-what-now|website=[[ExtremeTech]]|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=March 19, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Liz|last=Gannes|title=Facebook facial recognition prompts EU privacy probe|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-facial-recognition-prompts-eu-privacy-probe/|website=[[CNET]]|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=June 8, 2011|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> its addictive quality<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/billrobinson/facebook-the-worlds-bigge_b_4585457.html|title=Facebook: The World's Biggest Waste of Time?|last=Robinson|first=Bill|date=February 10, 2014|work=Huffington Post|access-date=March 3, 2018}}</ref> and its role in the workplace, including employer access to employee accounts.<ref>{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Friedman|title=Bill to ban companies from asking about job candidates' Facebook accounts is headed to governor|url=http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/03/bill_to_ban_companies_from_req.html|website=[[NJ.com]]|publisher=[[Advance Digital]]|date=March 21, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref>

Facebook has been criticized for electricity usage,<ref>{{cite web|first=Robin|last=Wauters|title=Greenpeace Slams Zuckerberg For Making Facebook A "So Coal Network" (Video)|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/09/16/greenpeace-slams-zuckerberg-for-making-facebook-a-so-coal-network-video/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=September 16, 2010|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> tax avoidance,<ref>{{cite web|first=Rupert|last=Neate|title=Facebook paid £2.9m tax on £840m profits made outside US, figures show|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/dec/23/facebook-tax-profits-outside-us|website=The Guardian|date=December 23, 2012|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> real-name user requirement policies,<ref>{{cite web|first=Emanuella|last=Grinberg|title=Facebook 'real name' policy stirs questions around identity|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/16/living/facebook-name-policy|website=CNN|date=September 18, 2014|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> censorship<ref>{{cite web|first=Vidhi|last=Doshi|title=Facebook under fire for 'censoring' Kashmir-related posts and accounts|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/19/facebook-under-fire-censoring-kashmir-posts-accounts|website=The Guardian|date=July 19, 2016|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Arrington|author-link=Michael Arrington|title=Is Facebook Really Censoring Search When It Suits Them?|url=https://techcrunch.com/2007/11/22/is-facebook-really-censoring-search-when-it-suits-them/|website=TechCrunch|publisher=AOL|date=November 22, 2007|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> and its involvement in the United States [[PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM surveillance program]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Glenn|last1=Greenwald|first2=Ewen|last2=MacAskill|title=NSA Prism program taps in to user data of Apple, Google and others|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data|website=The Guardian|date=June 7, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref>

According to ''[[The Express Tribune]]'', Facebook "avoided billions of dollars in tax using offshore companies".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1550750/3-paradise-papers-reveal-hidden-wealth-global-elite/|title=Paradise Papers reveal hidden wealth of global elite|date=November 6, 2017|work=[[The Express Tribune]]}}</ref>

Facebook is alleged to have harmful psychological effects on its users, including feelings of jealousy<ref>{{cite web|title=How Facebook Breeds Jealousy|url=https://www.seeker.com/how-facebook-breeds-jealousy-1765020296.html|website=[[Seeker (media company)|Seeker]]|publisher=[[Group Nine Media]]|date=February 10, 2010|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Matyszczyk|title=Study: Facebook makes lovers jealous|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/study-facebook-makes-lovers-jealous/|website=[[CNET]]|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=August 11, 2009|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> and stress,<ref>{{cite web|first=Chenda|last=Ngak|title=Facebook may cause stress, study says|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-may-cause-stress-study-says/|website=[[CBS News]]|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=November 27, 2012|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Dave|last=Smith|title=Quitting Facebook will make you happier and less stressed, study says|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/quitting-facebook-will-make-you-happier-and-less-stressed-study-2015-11|website=Business Insider|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=November 13, 2015|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> a lack of attention<ref>{{cite web|first=Michael J.|last=Bugeja|title=Facing the Facebook|url=http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2006/01/2006012301c/careers.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220193743/http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2006/01/2006012301c/careers.html|website=[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]|date=January 23, 2006|archive-date=February 20, 2008|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> and [[social media addiction]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Andrew|last=Hough|title=Student 'addiction' to technology 'similar to drug cravings', study finds|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8436831/Student-addiction-to-technology-similar-to-drug-cravings-study-finds.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8436831/Student-addiction-to-technology-similar-to-drug-cravings-study-finds.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=April 8, 2011|access-date=June 3, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook and Twitter 'more addictive than tobacco and alcohol'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9054243/Facebook-and-Twitter-more-addictive-than-tobacco-and-alcohol.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216152536/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9054243/Facebook-and-Twitter-more-addictive-than-tobacco-and-alcohol.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2015|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=February 1, 2012|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> According to Kaufmann et al., mothers' motivations for using social media are often related to their social and mental health.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kaufmann |first1=Renee |last2=Buckner |first2=Marjorie M. |last3=Ledbetter |first3=Andrew M. |date=2017-08-03 |title=Having Fun on Facebook?: Mothers' Enjoyment as a Moderator of Mental Health and Facebook Use |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10410236.2016.1196513 |journal=Health Communication |language=en |volume=32 |issue=8 |pages=1014–1023 |doi=10.1080/10410236.2016.1196513 |pmid=27463860 |s2cid=25726659 |issn=1041-0236}}</ref> European antitrust regulator [[Margrethe Vestager]] stated that Facebook's terms of service relating to private data were "unbalanced".<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Evan|last=Osnos|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/17/can-mark-zuckerberg-fix-facebook-before-it-breaks-democracy|title=Can Mark Zuckerberg Fix Facebook Before It Breaks Democracy?|magazine=The New Yorker|date=September 17, 2018|access-date=September 15, 2018}}</ref>

Facebook has been criticized for allowing users to publish illegal or offensive material. Specifics include [[copyright]] and [[intellectual property]] infringement,<ref>{{cite web|first=Ariha|last=Setalvad|title=Why Facebook's video theft problem can't last|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/7/9114149/facebook-freebooting-video-copyright-infringement|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=August 7, 2015|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> [[hate speech]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook, Twitter and Google grilled by MPs over hate speech|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39272261|website=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=March 14, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Amar|last=Toor|title=Facebook will work with Germany to combat anti-refugee hate speech|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/15/9329119/facebook-germany-hate-speech-xenophobia-migrant-refugee|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=September 15, 2015|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> incitement of rape<ref>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Sherwell|title=Cyber anarchists blamed for unleashing a series of Facebook 'rape pages'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8829165/Cyber-anarchists-blamed-for-unleashing-a-series-of-Facebook-rape-pages.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8829165/Cyber-anarchists-blamed-for-unleashing-a-series-of-Facebook-rape-pages.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=October 16, 2011|access-date=June 3, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and terrorism,<ref>{{cite web|title=20,000 Israelis sue Facebook for ignoring Palestinian incitement|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/20000-israelis-sue-facebook-for-ignoring-palestinian-incitement/|website=[[The Times of Israel]]|date=October 27, 2015|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Israel: Facebook's Zuckerberg has blood of slain Israeli teen on his hands|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-facebooks-zuckerberg-has-blood-of-slain-israeli-teen-on-his-hands/|website=[[The Times of Israel]]|date=July 2, 2016|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> [[fake news]],<ref>{{cite web|first=Samuel|last=Burke|title=Zuckerberg: Facebook will develop tools to fight fake news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/19/technology/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-fake-news-election/|website=CNN|date=November 19, 2016|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hillary Clinton says Facebook 'must prevent fake news from creating a new reality'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/05/31/hillary-clinton-says-facebook-must-prevent-fake-news-creating/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/05/31/hillary-clinton-says-facebook-must-prevent-fake-news-creating/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=June 1, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017|last=Staff|first=Our Foreign }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Seth|last=Fiegerman|title=Facebook's global fight against fake news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/09/technology/facebook-fake-news/index.html|website=CNN|date=May 9, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> and crimes, murders, and livestreaming violent incidents.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Emanuella|last1=Grinberg|first2=Samira|last2=Said|title=Police: At least 40 people watched teen's sexual assault on Facebook Live|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/21/us/facebook-live-gang-rape-chicago|website=CNN|date=March 22, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Emanuella|last=Grinberg|title=Chicago torture: Facebook Live video leads to 4 arrests|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/04/us/chicago-facebook-live-beating|website=CNN|date=January 5, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Aatif|last=Sulleyman|title=Facebook Live killings: Why the criticism has been harsh|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/facebook-live-killings-ai-artificial-intelligence-not-blame-fatalities-murders-us-steve-stephens-a7706056.html|website=[[The Independent]]|date=April 27, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref>

[[Sri Lanka]] blocked both Facebook and WhatsApp in May 2019 after [[2019 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka|anti-Muslim riots]], the worst in the country since the [[2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings|Easter Sunday bombing]] in the same year as a temporary measure to maintain peace in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/sri-lanka-imposes-nationwide-curfew-after-anti-muslim-riots/articleshow/69311594.cms|title=Sri Lanka Riots: Sri Lanka imposes nationwide curfew after anti-Muslim riots |newspaper=Times of India|date=May 13, 2019 |agency=Reuters |access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/asia/sri-lanka-blocks-social-media-after-worst-anti-muslim-violence-since-easter-sunday-attacks-1.860859|title=Sri Lanka blocks social media after worst anti-Muslim violence since Easter Sunday attacks|website=The National|date=May 13, 2019|access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref>

Facebook removed 3 billion fake accounts only during the last quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019;<ref name="Sullivan">{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90354777/facebooks-active-user-problem-how-many-maus-are-fake|title=Facebook catches 3 billion fake accounts, but the ones it misses are the real problem|last=Sullivan|first=Mark|website=Fast Company|date=May 23, 2019}}</ref> in comparison, the social network reports 2.39 billion monthly active users.<ref name="Sullivan" />

In late July 2019, the company announced it was under [[antitrust]] investigation by the [[Federal Trade Commission]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Kate|title=The FTC is investigating Facebook. Again|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/07/facebook-faces-new-anti-competition-investigation-as-privacy-probe-is-settled/|website=ars Technica|date=July 25, 2019|access-date=August 11, 2019}}</ref>

=== Privacy ===

{{See also|Privacy concerns with social networking services#Facebook}}

Facebook has faced a steady stream of controversies over how it handles user privacy, repeatedly adjusting its privacy settings and policies.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-privacy-idUSKBN1H41KV|title=Facebook cuts ties to data brokers in blow to targeted ads|last1=Ingram|first1=David|date=March 29, 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=February 5, 2019|last2=Fioretti|first2=Julia}}</ref>

In 2010, the US [[National Security Agency]] began taking publicly posted profile information from Facebook, among other social media services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/30/us/nsa-social-networks/index.html|title=NSA mines Facebook, including Americans' profiles|last1=Simpson|first1=David|date=September 30, 2013|work=cnn.com|access-date=September 30, 2013|last2=Brown|first2=Pamela}}</ref>

On November 29, 2011, Facebook settled [[Federal Trade Commission]] charges that it deceived consumers by failing to keep privacy promises.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/11/privacysettlement.shtm|title=Facebook Settles FTC Charges That It Deceived Consumers By Failing To Keep Privacy Promises|date=November 29, 2011|work=[[Federal Trade Commission|FTC]]|access-date=November 29, 2011}}</ref> In August 2013 [[High-Tech Bridge]] published a study showing that links included in Facebook messaging service messages were being accessed by Facebook.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.htbridge.com/news/social_networks_can_robots_violate_user_privacy.html|title=Social networks: can robots violate user privacy?|date=August 27, 2013|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20140103153742/https://www.htbridge.com/news/social_networks_can_robots_violate_user_privacy.html|archive-date=January 3, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> In January 2014 two users filed a lawsuit against Facebook alleging that their privacy had been violated by this practice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-sued-for-allegedly-intercepting-private-messages/|title=Facebook sued for allegedly intercepting private messages|last=Van Grove|first=Jennifer|date=January 2, 2014|website=[[CNet]]|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=March 16, 2015}}</ref>

On June 7, 2018, Facebook announced that a bug had resulted in about 14 million Facebook users having their default sharing setting for all new posts set to "public".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/07/technology/facebook-public-post-error/index.html|title=Facebook bug set 14 million users' sharing settings to public|date=June 7, 2018|access-date=June 7, 2018}}</ref>

On April 4, 2019, half a billion records of Facebook users were found exposed on [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] cloud servers, containing information about users' friends, likes, groups, and checked-in locations, as well as names, passwords and email addresses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hackhex.com/security/millions-of-facebook-records-found-on-amazon-servers-5173.html|title=Millions of Facebook Records Found On Amazon Servers|date=April 4, 2019|website=Hack Hex|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604144710/https://hackhex.com/security/millions-of-facebook-records-found-on-amazon-servers-5173.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The phone numbers of at least 200 million Facebook users were found to be exposed on an open online database in September 2019. They included 133 million US users, 18 million from the UK, and 50 million from users in [[Vietnam]]. After removing duplicates, the 419 million records have been reduced to 219 million. The database went offline after TechCrunch contacted the web host. It is thought the records were amassed using a tool that Facebook disabled in April 2018 after the [[Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal|Cambridge Analytica]] controversy. A Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement: "The dataset is old and appears to have information obtained before we made changes last year...There is no evidence that Facebook accounts were compromised."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/04/facebook-users-phone-numbers-privacy-lapse|title=Facebook confirms 419 m phone numbers exposed in latest privacy lapse|date=September 5, 2019|website=The Guardian|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref>

Facebook's privacy problems resulted in companies like [[Viber|Viber Media]] and [[Mozilla]] discontinuing advertising on Facebook's platforms.<ref>{{cite news

</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2020/06/24/were-proud-to-join-stophateforprofit/

{{mdash}}[[Frances Haugen]], condemning lack of transparency around Facebook at a [[Us congress|US congressional hearing]] (2021).<ref>{{cite web |title=Facebook whistleblower hearing: Frances Haugen calls for more regulation of tech giant – live updates |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/live/2021/oct/05/facebook-hearing-whistleblower-frances-haugen-testifies-us-senate-latest-news |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211005200002/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/live/2021/oct/05/facebook-hearing-whistleblower-frances-haugen-testifies-us-senate-latest-news?page=with:block-615c55448f083d2ce2634c5a%23liveblog-navigation |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |date=October 5, 2021 |work=The Guardian |access-date=October 5, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref>

</ref>

==== Racial bias ====

Facebook was accused of committing "systemic" racial bias by EEOC based on the complaints of three rejected candidates and a current employee of the company. The three rejected employees along with the Operational Manager at Facebook as of March 2021 accused the firm of discriminating against Black people. The EEOC has initiated an investigation into the case.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/05/facebook-systemic-racial-bias-hiring-eeoc-investigation|title=Facebook faces US investigation for 'systemic' racial bias in hiring|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=The Guardian|date=March 6, 2021}}</ref>

==== Shadow profiles ====

A "[[shadow profile]]" refers to the data Facebook collects about individuals without their explicit permission. For example, the [[Facebook like button#Tracking|"like" button]] that appears [[Facebook like button#Tracking|on third-party websites]] allows the company to collect information about an individual's internet browsing habits, even if the individual is not a Facebook user.<ref name="verge shadow profiles">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/11/17225482/facebook-shadow-profiles-zuckerberg-congress-data-privacy|title=Shadow profiles are the biggest flaw in Facebook's privacy defense|last=Brandom|first=Russell|date=April 11, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How Facebook can have your data even if you're not on Facebook|work=USA Today|access-date=April 13, 2018|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2018/04/13/how-facebook-can-have-your-data-even-if-youre-not-facebook/512674002/}}</ref> Data can also be collected by other users. For example, a Facebook user can link their email account to their Facebook to find friends on the site, allowing the company to collect the email addresses of users and non-users alike.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/how-facebook-figures-out-everyone-youve-ever-met-1819822691|title=How Facebook Figures Out Everyone You've Ever Met|last=Hill|first=Kashmir|date=November 7, 2017|website=[[Gizmodo]]|access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref> Over time, countless data points about an individual are collected; any single data point perhaps cannot identify an individual, but together allows the company to form a unique "profile."

This practice has been criticized by those who believe people should be able to opt-out of involuntary data collection. Additionally, while Facebook users have the ability to download and inspect the data they provide to the site, data from the user's "shadow profile" is not included, and non-users of Facebook do not have access to this tool regardless. The company has also been unclear whether or not it is possible for a person to revoke Facebook's access to their "shadow profile."<ref name="verge shadow profiles" />

==== Cambridge Analytica ====

Facebook customer Global Science Research sold information on over 87 million Facebook users to Cambridge Analytica, a political data analysis firm led by [[Alexander Nix]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lewis|first1=Paul|last2=Wong|first2=Julia Carrie|title=Facebook employs psychologist whose firm sold data to Cambridge Analytica|work=the Guardian|access-date=March 20, 2018|date=March 18, 2018|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/18/facebook-cambridge-analytica-joseph-chancellor-gsr}}</ref> While approximately 270,000 people used the app, Facebook's [[Application programming interface|API]] permitted data collection from their friends without their knowledge.<ref>{{cite web|last=Franceschi-Bicchierai|first=Lorenzo|title=Why We're Not Calling the Cambridge Analytica Story a 'Data Breach'|work=Motherboard|access-date=March 20, 2018|date=March 19, 2018|url=https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/3kjzvk/facebook-cambridge-analytica-not-a-data-breach}}</ref> At first Facebook downplayed the significance of the breach, and suggested that Cambridge Analytica no longer had access. Facebook then issued a statement expressing alarm and suspended Cambridge Analytica. Review of documents and interviews with former Facebook employees suggested that Cambridge Analytica still possessed the data.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-trump-campaign.html|title=How Trump Consultants Exploited the Facebook Data of Millions|first1=Matthew|last1=Rosenberg|first2=Nicholas|last2=Confessore|first3=Carole|last3=Cadwalladr|date=March 17, 2018|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> This was a violation of Facebook's [[consent decree]] with the [[Federal Trade Commission]]. This violation potentially carried a penalty of $40,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|40000|2018}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) per occurrence, totalling trillions of dollars.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/03/18/facebook-may-have-violated-ftc-privacy-deal-say-former-federal-officials-triggering-risk-of-massive-fines/|title=Facebook may have violated FTC privacy deal, say former federal officials, triggering risk of massive fines|last1=Timberg|first1=Craig|date=March 18, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 25, 2018|last2=Romm|first2=Tony|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

According to ''The Guardian'', both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica threatened to sue the newspaper if it published the story. After publication, Facebook claimed that it had been "lied to". On March 23, 2018, The [[High Court of Justice|English High Court]] granted an application by the [[Information Commissioner's Office]] for a warrant to search Cambridge Analytica's London offices, ending a standoff between Facebook and the Information Commissioner over responsibility.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/23/uk-high-court-grants-cambridge-analytica-search-warrant-to-ico.html|title=UK High Court grants Cambridge Analytica search warrant to ICO|last=CNBC|date=March 23, 2018|work=CNBC|access-date=March 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323222219/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/23/uk-high-court-grants-cambridge-analytica-search-warrant-to-ico.html|archive-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=dead }}</ref>

On March 25, Facebook published a statement by Zuckerberg in major UK and US newspapers apologizing over a "breach of trust".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43532948|title=Facebook boss apologises in newspaper ads|date=March 25, 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=March 25, 2018 }}</ref>

{{blockquote|You may have heard about a quiz app built by a university researcher that leaked Facebook data of millions of people in 2014. This was a breach of trust, and I'm sorry we didn't do more at the time. We're now taking steps to make sure this doesn't happen again.

We've already stopped apps like this from getting so much information. Now we're limiting the data apps get when you sign in using Facebook.

We're also investigating every single app that had access to large amounts of data before we fixed this. We expect there are others. And when we find them, we will ban them and tell everyone affected.

Finally, we'll remind you which apps you've given access to your information – so you can shut off the ones you don't want anymore.

Thank you for believing in this community. I promise to do better for you.}}

On March 26, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] opened an investigation into the matter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ftc-facebook-investigation-confirmed-opened-facebook-stock-drops-futher-today/|title=Facebook stock rebounds after FTC investigation news|last=Ivanova|first=Irina|date=March 26, 2018|work=CBS News|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref> The controversy led Facebook to end its partnerships with data brokers who aid advertisers in targeting users.<ref name="auto2" />

On April 24, 2019, Facebook said it could face a fine between $3 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|3000000000|2019}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) to $5 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|5000000000|2019}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) as the result of an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission. The agency has been investigating Facebook for possible privacy violations, but has not announced any findings yet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/facebook-estimates-up-to-5-billion-loss-in-ftc-privacy-inquiry.html|title=Facebook estimates up to $5 billion loss in FTC privacy inquiry|last=Feiner|first=Lauren|date=April 24, 2019|website=www.cnbc.com|access-date=April 25, 2019}}</ref>

Facebook also implemented additional privacy controls and settings<ref name="guar1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/11/fact-checking-mark-zuckerberg-testimony-congress|title=Fact-checking Mark Zuckerberg's testimony about Facebook privacy|last=Solon|first=Olivia|date=April 12, 2018|access-date=June 29, 2018|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> in part to comply with the European Union's [[General Data Protection Regulation]] (GDPR), which took effect in May.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/04/zuckerberg-gdpr/|title=Zuckerberg says Facebook will offer GDPR privacy controls everywhere|website=TechCrunch|access-date=April 4, 2018}}</ref> Facebook also ended its active opposition to the [[California Consumer Privacy Act]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/04/facebook-donated-200000-to-kill-a-privacy-law-but-now-its-backtracking/|title=Facebook exits anti-privacy alliance it formed with Comcast and Google|last=Brodkin|first=Jon|date=April 12, 2018|work=Ars Technica|access-date=April 13, 2018}}</ref>

Some, such as [[Meghan McCain]] have drawn an equivalence between the use of data by Cambridge Analytica and the [[Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign|Barack Obama's 2012 campaign]], which, according to ''[[Investor's Business Daily]]'', "encouraged supporters to download an Obama 2012 Facebook app that, when activated, let the campaign collect Facebook data both on users and their friends."<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20190220020940/https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/facebook-data-scandal-trump-election-obama-2012/ Funny, When Obama Harvested Facebook Data On Millions Of Users To Win In 2012, Everyone Cheered]". ''[[Investor's Business Daily]]''. March 19, 2018.</ref><ref name="forbes.com">"[https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2018/03/19/why-are-we-only-now-talking-about-facebook-and-elections/ Why Are We Only Now Talking About Facebook And Elections?]". ''[[Forbes]]''. March 19, 2018.</ref><ref name="news.com.au">"[http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/former-obama-campaign-boss-reveals-how-they-could-access-creepy-facebook-data/news-story/5a275b7c9f540fc9542f5256e644e26e Former Facebook staffer, Obama campaign boss reveal concerns about Facebook data]". [[News.com.au]]. March 21, 2018.</ref> Carol Davidsen, the Obama for America (OFA) former director of integration and media analytics, wrote that "Facebook was surprised we were able to suck out the whole social graph, but they didn't stop us once they realised that was what we were doing."<ref name="forbes.com" /><ref name="news.com.au" /> [[PolitiFact]] has rated McCain's statements "Half-True", on the basis that "in Obama's case, direct users knew they were handing over their data to a political campaign" whereas with Cambridge Analytica, users thought they were only taking a personality quiz for academic purposes, and while the Obama campaign only used the data "to have their supporters contact their most persuadable friends", Cambridge Analytica "targeted users, friends and lookalikes directly with digital ads."<ref>{{cite web|title=Comparing Facebook data use by Obama, Cambridge Analytica|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/mar/22/meghan-mccain/comparing-facebook-data-use-obama-cambridge-analyt/|publisher=[[PolitiFact]]|access-date=May 24, 2019 }}</ref>

==== Breaches ====

On September 28, 2018, Facebook experienced a major breach in its security, exposing the data of 50 million users. The data breach started in July 2017 and was discovered on September 16.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/28/everything-you-need-to-know-about-facebooks-data-breach-affecting-50m-users/|title=Everything you need to know about Facebook's data breach affecting 50M users|work=TechCrunch|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref> Facebook notified users affected by the exploit and logged them out of their accounts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/technology/facebook-hack-data-breach.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928165450/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/technology/facebook-hack-data-breach.html |archive-date=2018-09-28 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Facebook Security Breach Exposes Accounts of 50 Million Users|last1=Isaac|first1=Mike|date=September 28, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 29, 2018|last2=Frenkel|first2=Sheera}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/sep/28/facebook-50-million-user-accounts-security-berach|title=Facebook says nearly 50 m users compromised in huge security breach|last=Wong|first=Julia Carrie|date=September 28, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=September 29, 2018}}</ref>

In March 2019, Facebook confirmed a password compromise of millions of Facebook lite application users also affected millions of Instagram users. The reason cited was the storage of password as plain text instead of encryption which could be read by its employees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/tech/not-tens-of-thousands-but-millions-of-instagram-passwords-exposed-admits-facebook-2108667.html|title=Not Tens of Thousands, But Millions of Instagram Passwords Exposed, Admits Facebook|website=News18|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref>

On December 19, 2019, security researcher Bob Diachenko discovered a database containing more than 267 million Facebook user IDs, phone numbers, and names that were left exposed on the web for anyone to access without a password or any other authentication.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2019/12/20/267-million-facebook-users-data-has-reportedly-been-leaked/|title=267 million Facebook users' data has reportedly been leaked|last=Ghoshal|first=Abhimanyu|date=December 20, 2019|website=The Next Web|language=en-us|access-date=December 21, 2019}}</ref>

In February 2020, Facebook encountered a major [[security breach]] in which its official [[Twitter]] account was hacked by a [[Saudi Arabia]]-based group called "[[OurMine]]". The group has a history of actively exposing high-profile social media profiles' vulnerabilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/facebook-s-twitter-account-hacked-n1132901|title=Facebook's Twitter account hacked|access-date=February 7, 2020|website=NBC News}}</ref>

In April 2021, ''The Guardian'' reported approximately half a billion users' data had been stolen including birthdates and phone numbers. Facebook alleged it was "old data" from a problem fixed in August 2019 despite the data's having been released a year and a half later only in 2021; it declined to speak with journalists, had apparently not notified regulators, called the problem "unfixable", and said it would not be advising users.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/11/another-huge-data-breach-another-stony-silence-from-facebook|title=Another huge data breach, another stony silence from Facebook|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=The Guardian|date=April 11, 2021}}</ref>

==== Phone data and activity ====

[[File:Onavo logo.png|thumb|Facebook acquired [[Onavo]]'s [[virtual private network]] to harvest usage data on its competitors.]]

After acquiring [[Onavo]] in 2013, Facebook used its Onavo Protect [[virtual private network]] (VPN) app to collect information on users' [[web traffic]] and app usage. This allowed Facebook to monitor its competitors' performance, and motivated Facebook to acquire WhatsApp in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-copycats-how-facebook-squashes-competition-from-startups-1502293444|title=The New Copycats: How Facebook Squashes Competition From Startups|last1=Morris|first1=Betsy|date=August 9, 2017|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=August 15, 2017|last2=Seetharaman|first2=Deepa|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/08/09/new-copycats-how-facebook-squashes-2.html|title=The New Copycats: How Facebook Squashes -2-|date=August 9, 2017|work=Fox Business|access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/13/facebook-knew-about-snap-struggles-through-app-tracking/|title=Facebook knew about Snap's struggles months before the public|website=Engadget|access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref> Media outlets classified Onavo Protect as [[spyware]].<ref>{{cite news|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Apple makes Facebook pull its spyware(ish) VPN from the App Store|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90224974/apple-makes-facebook-pull-its-spywareish-vpn-from-the-app-store|website=Fast Company|date=August 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Tom|last=McKay|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Facebook Pulls Its Data-Harvesting Onavo VPN From App Store After Apple Says It Violates Rules|url=https://gizmodo.com/facebook-pulls-its-data-harvesting-onavo-vpn-from-app-s-1828541718|website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name="Mashable">{{cite news|first=Jack|last=Morse|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|title=Facebook to pull its creepy VPN Onavo from App Store after Apple pushback|url=https://mashable.com/article/facebook-pulls-onavo-from-app-store/|website=Mashable}}</ref> In August 2018, Facebook removed the app in response to pressure from Apple, who asserted that it violated their guidelines.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/22/apple-facebook-onavo/|title=Apple removed Facebook's Onavo from the App Store for gathering app data|work=TechCrunch|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/22/17771298/facebook-onavo-protect-apple-app-store-pulled-privacy-concerns|title=Facebook will pull its data-collecting VPN app from the App Store over privacy concerns|work=The Verge|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref> The [[Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]] sued Facebook on December 16, 2020, for "false, misleading or deceptive conduct" in response to the company's use of personal data obtained from Onavo for business purposes in contrast to Onavo's privacy-oriented marketing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spadafora |first1=Anthony |title=Facebook sued for using VPN to spy on users |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/facebook-sued-for-using-vpn-to-spy-on-users |website=[[TechRadar]] |access-date=January 7, 2021 |language=en |date=December 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Duckett |first1=Chris |title=Facebook dragged to court by ACCC over deceptive VPN conduct allegations |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/facebook-dragged-to-court-by-accc-over-deceptive-vpn-conduct-allegations/ |website=ZDNet |access-date=January 7, 2021 |language=en |date=December 16, 2020}}</ref>

In 2016, Facebook Research launched Project Atlas, offering some users between the ages of 13 and 35 up to $20 per month (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|200|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) in exchange for their personal data, including their app usage, [[web browsing history]], [[Web search engine|web search]] history, [[Mobile phone tracking|location history]], [[personal message]]s, photos, videos, [[email]]s and [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] order history.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 30, 2019|title=Facebook pays teens to install VPN that spies on them|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/|first=John|last=Constine|website=TechCrunch|date=January 29, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Recode Jan 2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.recode.net/2019/1/30/18203231/apple-banning-facebook-research-app|title=Apple says it's banning Facebook's research app that collects users' personal information|last=Wagner|first=Kurt|date=January 30, 2019|website=Recode|access-date=January 30, 2019}}</ref> In January 2019, ''TechCrunch'' reported on the project. This led Apple to temporarily revoke Facebook's Enterprise Developer Program [[Public key certificate|certificates]] for one day, preventing Facebook Research from operating on iOS devices and disabling Facebook's internal iOS apps.<ref name="Recode Jan 2019" /><ref>{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Warren|access-date=January 30, 2019|title=Apple blocks Facebook from running its internal iOS apps|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203551/apple-facebook-blocked-internal-ios-apps|date=January 30, 2019|website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Isaac|access-date=February 2, 2019|title=Apple Shows Facebook Who Has the Power in an App Dispute|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/technology/apple-blocks-facebook.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201020059/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/technology/apple-blocks-facebook.html |archive-date=2019-02-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 31, 2019|issn=0362-4331|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

''[[Ars Technica]]'' reported in April 2018 that the Facebook Android app had been harvesting user data, including phone calls and text messages, since 2015.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sean|last=Gallagher|access-date=January 31, 2019|title=Facebook scraped call, text message data for years from Android phones [Updated]|url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/03/facebook-scraped-call-text-message-data-for-years-from-android-phones/|date=March 24, 2018|website=Ars Technica}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mashable.com/2018/03/25/facebook-android-phone-call-data-gathering/|title=Facebook's app has been collecting Android phone data for years on some devices|last=Rosenberg|first=Adam|website=Mashable|date=March 25, 2018|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/25/17160944/facebook-call-history-sms-data-collection-android Facebook has been collecting call history and SMS data from Android devices] ''The Verge''</ref> In May 2018, several Android users filed a [[class action lawsuit]] against Facebook for invading their privacy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2018/05/android-users-file-lawsuit-against-facebook-for-invasion-of-privacy/|title=Android users file lawsuit against Facebook for invasion of privacy|work=jurist.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Buckner, Gabriella|url=http://www.itpro.co.uk/data-mining/31107/facebook-faces-class-action-lawsuit-for-android-call-and-message-data-scraping|title=Facebook faces class action lawsuit for Android call and message data scraping|work=itpro.co.uk|date=May 14, 2018|access-date=February 7, 2019}}</ref>

In January 2020, Facebook launched the Off-Facebook Activity page, which allows users to see information collected by Facebook about their non-Facebook activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/off-facebook-activity|title=Off-Facebook Activity|website=Facebook for Business}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler found that this included what other apps he used on his phone, even while the Facebook app was closed, what other web sites he visited on his phone, and what in-store purchases he made from affiliated businesses, even while his phone was completely off.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/01/28/off-facebook-activity-page/|title=Perspective | Facebook will now show you exactly how it stalks you – even when you're not using Facebook|first=Geoffrey A. |last=Fowler |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

In November 2021, a report was published by Fairplay, Global Action Plan and Reset Australia detailing accusations that Facebook was continuing to manage their ad targeting system with data collected from teen users.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook continuing to surveil teens for ads, says report|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/11/16/facebook-accused-of-still-targeting-teens-with-ads/|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US}}</ref> The accusations follow announcements by Facebook in July 2021 that they would cease ad targeting children.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Naomi Nix |date=July 27, 2021|title=Facebook Reduces Advertising Targeting for Teenagers |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-27/facebook-reduces-advertising-targeting-for-teenagers|access-date=November 16, 2021|work=Bloomberg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Klar|first=Rebecca|date=July 27, 2021|title=Facebook, Instagram to limit targeted ads for teen users|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/564878-facebook-instagram-to-limit-targeted-ads-for-teen-users|access-date=November 16, 2021|website=TheHill|language=en}}</ref>

==== Public apologies ====

The company first apologized for its privacy abuses in 2009.<ref>{{Cite book|url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=SzxDTGGr80EC|page=119}}|title=Business Ethics For Dummies|last1=Bowie|first1=Norman E.|last2=Schnieder|first2=Meg|date=February 9, 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-02062-3}}</ref>

Facebook apologies have appeared in newspapers, television, blog posts and on Facebook.<ref name="auto3" /> On March 25, 2018, leading US and UK newspapers published full-page ads with a personal apology from Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg issued a verbal apology on [[CNN]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/25/17161398/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-apology-cambridge-analytica-full-page-newspapers-ads|title=Mark Zuckerberg apologizes for Facebook's data privacy scandal in full-page newspaper ads|last=Statt|first=Nick|date=March 25, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref> In May 2010, he apologized for discrepancies in privacy settings.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-a-history-of-mark-zuckerberg-apologizing/|title=A Short History of Facebook's Privacy Gaffes|last=Hempel|first=Jessi|date=March 30, 2018|magazine=Wired|access-date=February 6, 2019|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>

Previously, Facebook had its privacy settings spread out over 20 pages, and has now put all of its privacy settings on one page, which makes it more difficult for third-party apps to access the user's personal information.<ref name="auto2" /> In addition to publicly apologizing, Facebook has said that it will be reviewing and auditing thousands of apps that display "suspicious activities" in an effort to ensure that this breach of privacy does not happen again.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|title=Social Media/polls Show Low Trust in Facebook|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/polls-show-low-trust-facebook/|website=www.digitaltrends.com|date=March 26, 2018|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref> In a 2010 report regarding privacy, a research project stated that not a lot of information is available regarding the consequences of what people disclose online so often what is available are just reports made available through popular media.<ref name="christofides2011">{{cite web|url=https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-actions-and-decisions/research/funding-for-privacy-research-and-knowledge-translation/completed-contributions-program-projects/2009-2010/p_200910_06/|title=Privacy and Disclosure on Facebook: Youth & Adults' Information Disclosure and Perceptions of Privacy Risks – Contributions Program 2009–2010|publisher=Office of the Privacy Commissioner of|date=March 31, 2010|website=www.priv.gc.ca|access-date=February 6, 2019|last1=Christofides|first1=E.|last2=Muise|first2=A.|last3=Desmarais|first3=S.}}</ref> In 2017, a former Facebook executive went on the record to discuss how social media platforms have contributed to the unraveling of the "fabric of society".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/11/facebook-former-executive-ripping-society-apart|title=Former Facebook executive: social media is ripping society apart|last=Wong|first=Julia Carrie|date=December 12, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=February 6, 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Content{{anchor|Violence, conspiracy theories and fringe discourse}}[edit]

Facebook relies on its users to generate the content that bonds its users to the service. The company has come under criticism both for allowing objectionable content, including conspiracy theories and fringe discourse,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Roose|first=Kevin|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/technology/alex-jones-facebook-youtube.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727221747/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/technology/alex-jones-facebook-youtube.html |archive-date=2018-07-27 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Facebook and YouTube Give Alex Jones a Wrist Slap|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref> and for prohibiting other content that it deems inappropriate.

Facebook has been criticized as a vector for '[[fake news]]', and has been accused of bearing responsibility for the conspiracy theory that the United States created [[ISIS]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mackey |first=Robert |date=2014-08-26 |title=Borne by Facebook, Conspiracy Theory That U.S. Created ISIS Spreads Across Middle East |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/world/middleeast/isis-conspiracy-theories-include-a-purported-american-plot.html |access-date=2022-04-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> false anti-[[Rohingya people|Rohingya]] posts being used by [[Myanmar]]'s military to fuel [[genocide]] and [[Rohingya genocide|ethnic cleansing]],<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Gowen|first1=Annie|last2=Bearak|first2=Max|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/fake-news-on-facebook-fans-the-flames-of-hate-against-the-rohingya-in-burma/2017/12/07/2c1fe830-ca1f-11e7-b506-8a10ed11ecf5_story.html|title=Fake news on Facebook fans the flames of hate against the Rohingya in Burma|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mozur |first=Paul |date=2018-10-15 |title=A Genocide Incited on Facebook, With Posts From Myanmar's Military |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/technology/myanmar-facebook-genocide.html |access-date=2022-04-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> enabling [[climate change denial]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Waldman |first=Scott |title=Climate Denial Spreads on Facebook as Scientists Face Restrictions |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-denial-spreads-on-facebook-as-scientists-face-restrictions/ |access-date=August 6, 2020 |website=[[Scientific American]] |publisher=[[Environment & Energy Publishing|E&E News]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Guynn |first=Jessica |title=Climate change denial on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok is 'as bad as ever' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2022/01/21/climate-change-misinformation-facebook-youtube-twitter/6594691001/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Waldman |first=Scott |date=2022-02-23 |title=Climate denial still flourishes on Facebook — report |url=https://www.eenews.net/articles/climate-denial-still-flourishes-on-facebook-report/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=E&E News |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting]] conspiracy theorists,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/25/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-sandy-hook-parents-open-letter|title=An open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from the parents of a Sandy Hook victim|last1=Pozner|first1=Leonard|last2=Rosa|first2=Veronique De La|date=July 25, 2018|website=the Guardian|access-date=August 4, 2018|last3=Pozner|first3=parents of Noah}}</ref> and anti-refugee attacks in Germany.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/world/europe/facebook-refugee-attacks-germany.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821102155/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/world/europe/facebook-refugee-attacks-germany.html |archive-date=2018-08-21 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Facebook Fueled Anti-Refugee Attacks in Germany, New Research Suggests|access-date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=MMller|first1=Karsten|last2=Schwarz|first2=Carlo|date=2017|title=Fanning the Flames of Hate: Social Media and Hate Crime|journal=SSRN Working Paper Series|doi=10.2139/ssrn.3082972|issn=1556-5068|ssrn=3082972|s2cid=19194580}}</ref><ref name="RottingDemocracyBeauchamp">{{cite web| url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/22/18177076/social-media-facebook-far-right-authoritarian-populism| title=Social media is rotting democracy from within| last=Beauchamp| first=Zack| publisher=Vox| date=January 22, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125171545/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/22/18177076/social-media-facebook-far-right-authoritarian-populism|archive-date=January 25, 2019 }}</ref> The government of the [[Philippines]] has also used Facebook as a tool to attack its critics.<ref name="PhilippinesEtter">{{cite web| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-12-07/how-rodrigo-duterte-turned-facebook-into-a-weapon-with-a-little-help-from-facebook| title=What Happens When the Government Uses Facebook as a Weapon?| last=Etter| first=Lauren| publisher=Bloomberg| date=December 7, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124225207/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-12-07/how-rodrigo-duterte-turned-facebook-into-a-weapon-with-a-little-help-from-facebook|archive-date=January 24, 2019 }}</ref>

In 2017, Facebook partnered with fact checkers from the [[Poynter Institute]]'s International Fact-Checking Network to identify and mark false content, though most ads from political candidates are exempt from this program.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hunt |first=Elle |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/22/facebook-fact-checking-tool-fake-news |title='Disputed by multiple fact-checkers': Facebook rolls out new alert to combat fake news |date=March 22, 2017 |work=The Guardian |access-date=November 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sherman |first=Amy |url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2019/oct/15/elizabeth-warren/phony-facebook-ad-warren-said-most-tv-networks-wil/ |title=In phony Facebook ad, Warren said most TV networks will refuse ads with a 'lie' but that's wrong |work=Politifact |access-date=November 4, 2019}}</ref> As of 2018, Facebook had over 40 fact-checking partners across the world, including ''[[The Weekly Standard]]''.<ref name=":10">{{cite web |last=Levin |first=Sam |date=2018-12-13 |title='They don't care': Facebook factchecking in disarray as journalists push to cut ties |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/13/they-dont-care-facebook-fact-checking-in-disarray-as-journalists-push-to-cut-ties |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=[[The Guardian]] |location=San Francisco |language=en}}</ref> Critics of the program have accused Facebook of not doing enough to remove false information from its website.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/24/facebook-fake-pelosi-video-1472413|title=Facebook on fake Pelosi video: Being 'false' isn't enough for removal|first=Nancy|last=Scola|website=Politico}}</ref>

Professor [[Ilya Somin]] reported that he had been the subject of death threats on Facebook in April 2018 from [[Cesar Sayoc]], who threatened to kill Somin and his family and "feed the bodies to Florida alligators". Somin's Facebook friends reported the comments to Facebook, which did nothing except dispatch automated messages.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://reason.com/volokh/2018/10/27/mail-bomber-cesar-sayoc-threatened-me-on| title=Mail Bomber Cesar Sayoc Threatened Me on Facebook – Volokh Conspiracy| date=October 27, 2018}}</ref> Sayoc was later arrested for the [[October 2018 United States mail bombing attempts]] directed at Democratic politicians.

Facebook has repeatedly amended its content policies. In July 2018, it stated that it would "downrank" articles that its [[Fact-checking|fact-checkers]] determined to be false, and remove misinformation that incited violence.<ref>{{cite news|last=Frenkel|first=Sheera|title=Facebook to Remove Misinformation That Leads to Violence|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/technology/facebook-to-remove-misinformation-that-leads-to-violence.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718221759/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/technology/facebook-to-remove-misinformation-that-leads-to-violence.html |archive-date=2018-07-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=August 9, 2018|work=The New York Times|date=July 18, 2018 }}</ref> Facebook stated that content that receives "false" ratings from its fact-checkers can be demonetized and suffer dramatically reduced distribution. Specific posts and videos that violate community standards can be removed on Facebook.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|date=July 20, 2018|title=Facebook's rhetoric on misinformation doesn't match its actions|work=CNNMoney|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/20/media/facebook-infowars-false-news-misinformation/index.html|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref>

In May 2019, Facebook banned a number of "dangerous" commentators from its platform, including [[Alex Jones]], [[Louis Farrakhan]], [[Milo Yiannopoulos]], [[Paul Joseph Watson]], [[Paul Nehlen]], [[David Duke]], and [[Laura Loomer]], for allegedly engaging in "violence and hate".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/tech/facebook-ban-louis-farrakhan-infowars-alex-jones-milo-laura-loomer/index.html|website=CNN|title=Facebook bans Louis Farrakhan, Milo Yiannopoulos, InfoWars and others from its platforms as 'dangerous'|first=Oliver|last=Darcy|date=May 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-bans-alex-jones-louis-farrakhan-others-facebook-instagram-n1001311|website=NBC News|title=Alex Jones, Louis Farrakhan, others banned from Facebook and Instagram|date=May 2, 2019|author=Michael Cappetta and Ben Collins}}</ref>

In May 2020, Facebook agreed to a preliminary settlement of $52 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|52000000|2020}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) to compensate U.S.-based Facebook content moderators for their psychological trauma suffered on the job.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook will pay $52 million in settlement with moderators who developed PTSD on the job|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/12/21255870/facebook-content-moderator-settlement-scola-ptsd-mental-health|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=May 12, 2020|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=May 13, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The secret lives of Facebook moderators in America|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=February 25, 2019|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=May 16, 2020}}</ref> Other legal actions around the world, including in Ireland, await settlement.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Content Moderators Win $52m Compensation Settlement|url=https://www.moderatorrights.com/blog/facebook-content-moderators-win-52m-compensation-settlement/|date=May 13, 2020|website=ModeratorRights.com|language=en-US|access-date=May 13, 2020}}</ref>

In September 2020, the [[Government of Thailand]] utilized the Computer Crime Act for the first time to take action against Facebook and [[Twitter]] for ignoring requests to take down content and not complying with court orders.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-internet-idUSKCN26F0R7?taid=5f6c4b2a82069f0001b379a4|title=Thailand takes first legal action against Facebook, Twitter over content|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=Reuters|date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

In October 2020, [[Pakistani]] Prime Minister [[Imran Khan]] urged [[Mark Zuckerberg]], through a letter posted on government's [[Twitter]] account, to ban [[Islamophobic]] content on Facebook, warning that it encouraged [[extremism]] and violence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-facebook/pakistani-pm-asks-facebook-ceo-to-ban-islamophobic-content-idUSKBN27A0UK?rpc=401&|title=Pakistani PM asks Facebook CEO to ban Islamophobic content|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Reuters|date=October 25, 2020}}</ref>

In October 2020, the company announced that it would ban [[Holocaust denial]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Grenoble|first=Ryan|date=October 12, 2020|title=Facebook Decides Holocaust Denial Content Is Bad, Actually|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/facebook-ban-holocaust-denials_n_5f8478dec5b62f97bac625c3|access-date=October 12, 2020|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref>

==== ''InfoWars'' ====

Facebook was criticized for allowing ''[[InfoWars]]'' to publish falsehoods and conspiracy theories.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Kelly|first=Heather|date=July 18, 2018|title=Mark Zuckerberg clarifies his Holocaust comments|work=CNNMoney|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/18/technology/zuckerberg-recode-holocaust/index.html|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.recode.net/2018/7/16/17577426/media-left-right-facebook-define-journalism|title=Media – both on the left and right – are pressing Facebook to define what journalism is|work=Recode|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/07/how-facebooks-infowars-crisis-exposes-mark-zuckerbergs-hypocrisy?mbid=social_twitter|title=Why Facebook Won't Actually Ban Fake News|last=Kosoff|first=Maya|work=The Hive|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/charliewarzel/facebook-alex-jones-robertmueller-pedophile|title=Facebook Said Alex Jones' Threatening Rant Against Robert Mueller Doesn't Violate Its Rules|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref> Facebook defended its actions in regards to ''InfoWars'', saying "we just don't think banning Pages for sharing conspiracy theories or false news is the right way to go."<ref name=":3" /> Facebook provided only six cases in which it fact-checked content on the ''InfoWars'' page over the period September 2017 to July 2018.<ref name=":1" /> In 2018 ''InfoWars'' falsely claimed that the survivors of the Parkland shooting were "actors". Facebook pledged to remove ''InfoWars'' content making the claim, although ''InfoWars'' videos pushing the false claims were left up, even though Facebook had been contacted about the videos.<ref name=":1" /> Facebook stated that the videos never explicitly called them actors.<ref name=":1" /> Facebook also allowed ''InfoWars'' videos that shared the [[Pizzagate conspiracy theory]] to survive, despite specific assertions that it would purge Pizzagate content.<ref name=":1" /> In late July 2018 Facebook suspended the personal profile of ''InfoWars'' head Alex Jones for 30 days.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/26/media/facebook-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|title=Facebook suspends personal profile of InfoWars founder Alex Jones|last=Darcy|first=Oliver|work=CNNMoney|access-date=August 4, 2018}}</ref> In early August 2018, Facebook banned the four most active ''InfoWars''-related pages for [[hate speech]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/facebook-and-apple-itunes-ban-alex-jones-as-internet-giants-silence-infowars|title=Facebook and Apple iTunes Ban Alex Jones as Internet Giants Silence Infowars|last=Ross|first=Jamie|date=August 6, 2018|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=August 6, 2018}}</ref>

=== Political manipulation ===

[[File:Mark Zuckerberg 1984 Berlin Graffiti.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.75|[[Graffiti]] in Berlin of Facebook founder [[Mark Zuckerberg]]. The caption is a reference to [[George Orwell]]'s novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]''.]]

As a dominant social-web service with massive outreach, Facebook have been used by identified or unidentified political operatives to affect public opinion. Some of these activities have been done in violation of the platform policies, creating "coordinated inauthentic behavior", support or attacks. These activities can be scripted or [[Troll farm|paid]]. Various such abusive campaign have been revealed in recent years, best known being the [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]]. In 2021, former Facebook analyst within the ''Spam'' and ''Fake Engagement'' teams, [[Sophie Zhang (whistleblower)|Sophie Zhang]], reported more than 25 political subversion operations and criticized the general slow reaction time, oversightless, laissez-faire attitude by Facebook.<ref name="auto7">{{Citation|title=Ex-Facebook employee on the company's dangerous loophole: 'Autocrats don't bother to hide'|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYigm8R2ep8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/eYigm8R2ep8 |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=April 15, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="auto6">{{Cite news|last=Wong|first=Julia Carrie|date=April 12, 2021|title=How Facebook let fake engagement distort global politics: a whistleblower's account|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/12/facebook-fake-engagement-whistleblower-sophie-zhang|access-date=April 15, 2021|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/12/facebook-loophole-state-backed-manipulation|title=Revealed: the Facebook loophole that lets world leaders deceive and harass their citizens|date=April 12, 2021|website=the Guardian}}</ref>

==== General ====

In 2018, Facebook stated that during 2018 they had identified "coordinated inauthentic behavior" in "many Pages, Groups and accounts created to stir up political debate, including in the [[United States|US]], the Middle East, [[Russia]] and the [[United Kingdom|UK]]."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gleicher|first1=Nathaniel|last2=Rodriguez|first2=Oscar|title=Removing Additional Inauthentic Activity from Facebook|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/10/removing-inauthentic-activity/|publisher=Facebook Newsroom|access-date=May 27, 2019|date=October 11, 2018}}</ref>

Campaigns operated by the [[United Kingdom|British]] intelligence agency unit, called [[Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group]], have broadly fallen into two categories; cyber attacks and propaganda efforts. The propaganda efforts utilize "mass messaging" and the "pushing [of] stories" via social media sites like Facebook.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snowden Docs: British Spies Used Sex and 'Dirty Tricks'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/snowden-docs-british-spies-used-sex-dirty-tricks-n23091|work=[[NBC News]]|date=February 7, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Snowden leaks: GCHQ 'attacked Anonymous' hackers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26049448|work=BBC|date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> Israel's [[Jewish Internet Defense Force]], [[China]]'s [[50 Cent Party]] and [[Turkey]]'s [[AK Trolls]] also focus their attention on social media platforms like Facebook.<ref>{{cite news|title=China's 'troll factory' targeting Taiwan with disinformation prior to election|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3568146|work=Taiwan News|date=May 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Trolls, bots and shutdowns: This is how Turkey manipulates public opinion|url=https://ahvalnews.com/freedoms/trolls-bots-and-shutdowns-how-turkey-manipulates-public-opinion|work=Ahval|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111190541/https://ahvalnews.com/freedoms/trolls-bots-and-shutdowns-how-turkey-manipulates-public-opinion|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jewish Internet Defense Force 'seizes control' of anti-Israel Facebook group|url=https://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Jewish-Internet-Defense-Force-seizes-control-of-anti-Israel-Facebook-group|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

|last=Morrison

|first=Sarah

|title=Jewish Activist Battles For Israel on Facebook

|publisher=Israel National News

|date=March 4, 2008

|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125783

}}{{better source needed|date=July 2022}}</ref>

In July 2018, Samantha Bradshaw, co-author of the report from the [[Oxford Internet Institute]] (OII) at [[Oxford University]], said that "The number of countries where formally organised [[social media manipulation]] occurs has greatly increased, from 28 to 48 countries globally. The majority of growth comes from political parties who spread disinformation and junk news around election periods."<ref>{{cite news|title=Social media manipulation rising globally, new report warns|url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2018-07-20-social-media-manipulation-rising-globally-new-report-warns|publisher=University of Oxford|date=July 20, 2018}}</ref>

In October 2018, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that Facebook "banned hundreds of pages and accounts that it says were fraudulently flooding its site with partisan political content – although they came from the [[United States]] instead of being associated with [[Russia]]."<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook: Most political trolls are American, not Russian|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/11/facebook-political-trolls-american-not-russian/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/11/facebook-political-trolls-american-not-russian/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=October 12, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In December 2018, ''The Washington Post'' reported that "Facebook has suspended the account of Jonathon Morgan, the chief executive of a top social media research firm" [[New Knowledge]], "after reports that he and others engaged in an operation to spread disinformation" on Facebook and Twitter during the [[2017 United States Senate special election in Alabama]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Facebook suspends five accounts, including that of a social media researcher, for misleading tactics in Alabama election |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/22/facebook-suspends-five-accounts-including-social-media-researcher-misleading-tactics-alabama-election/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Democratic operatives created fake Russian bots designed to link Kremlin to Roy Moore in Alabama race |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democratic-operatives-created-fake-russian-bots-in-alabama-race-designed-to-link-kremlin-to-republican-roy-moore |work=Fox News |date=December 20, 2018}}</ref>

In January 2019, Facebook said it has removed 783 [[Iran]]-linked accounts, pages and groups for engaging in what it called "coordinated inauthentic behaviour".<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook Says It Removed 783 Accounts Tied to an Iranian Manipulation Campaign|url=http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/facebook-manipulation-campaign-iran-fake-news/|work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|date=January 31, 2019}}</ref>

In May 2019, [[Tel Aviv]]-based private intelligence agency [[Archimedes Group]] was banned from Facebook for "coordinated inauthentic behavior" after Facebook found fake users in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48349671|title=Is Facebook undermining democracy in Africa?|last=Madowo|first=Larry|date=May 24, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> Facebook investigations revealed that Archimedes had spent some $1.1 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1100000|2019}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) on fake ads, paid for in Brazilian reais, Israeli shekels and US dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/change-reality-facebook-busts-israel-based-campaign-to-disrupt-elections-20190517-p51oad.html|title='Change reality': Facebook busts Israel-based campaign to disrupt elections|last=Satter|first=Isabel Debre and Raphael|date=May 16, 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> Facebook gave examples of Archimedes Group political interference in [[Nigeria]], [[Senegal]], [[Togo]], [[Angola]], [[Niger]] and [[Tunisia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/05/removing-coordinated-inauthentic-behavior-from-israel/|title=Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior From Israel {{!}} Facebook Newsroom|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> The Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab said in a report that "The tactics employed by Archimedes Group, a private company, closely resemble the types of information warfare tactics often used by governments, and the Kremlin in particular."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/16/tech/facebook-takedown-israeli-company/index.html|title=Facebook says Israeli company used fake accounts to target African elections|last=Business|first=Donie O'Sullivan and Hadas Gold, CNN|website=CNN|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-bans-israeli-firm-over-fake-political-activity-11558030115|title=Facebook Bans Israeli Firm Over Fake Political Activity|last=Needleman|first=Sarah E.|date=May 16, 2019|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=June 8, 2019|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

On May 23, 2019, Facebook released its Community Standards Enforcement Report highlighting that it has identified several fake accounts through artificial intelligence and human monitoring. In a period of six months, October 2018-March 2019, the social media website removed a total of 3.39 billion fake accounts. The number of fake accounts was reported to be more than 2.4 billion real people on the platform.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/23/726353723/facebook-removed-nearly-3-2-billion-fake-accounts-in-last-six-months|title=Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts in 6 Months|newspaper=NPR|date=May 23, 2019|access-date=May 23, 2019|publisher=National Public Radio|last1=Romo|first1=Vanessa|last2=Held|first2=Amy}}</ref>

In July 2019, Facebook advanced its measures to counter deceptive political propaganda and other abuse of its services. The company removed more than 1,800 accounts and pages that were being operated from [[Russia]], [[Thailand]], [[Ukraine]] and [[Honduras]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-accounts/facebook-removes-fake-accounts-from-thailand-russia-ukraine-honduras-idUSKCN1UK0KE|title=Facebook removes fake accounts from Thailand, Russia, Ukraine, Honduras|access-date=July 25, 2019|work=Reuters}}</ref> After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was announced that the internet regulatory committee would block access to Facebook.<ref>{{cite web |title=Russia blocks access to Facebook |url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2022/03/04/russia-blocks-facebook/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>

On October 30, 2019, Facebook deleted several accounts of the employees working at the Israeli [[NSO Group]], stating that the accounts were "deleted for not following our terms". The deletions came after WhatsApp sued the Israeli surveillance firm for targeting 1,400 devices with [[spyware]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://qudsnen.co/facebook-deletes-accounts-of-workers-at-nso-israeli-firm/|title=Facebook deletes accounts of workers at NSO Israeli firm|access-date=November 1, 2019|website=Quds News Network|date=November 2019}}</ref>

In 2020, Facebook helped found American Edge, an anti-regulation [[lobbying firm]] to fight anti-trust probes.<ref name="ae">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/12/facebook-lobbying-american-edge/ |title=Facebook Helps Launch American Edge, a Dark-Money Advocacy Group for Big Tech |date=May 12, 2020 |access-date=May 12, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |last=Romm |first=Tony}}</ref>

The [[Government of Thailand|Thailand government]] is forcing Facebook to take down a Facebook group called Royalist Marketplace with 1 million members following potentially illegal posts shared. The authorities have also threatened Facebook with legal action. In response, Facebook is planning to take legal action against the Thai government for suppression of freedom of expression and violation of human rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/24/tech/facebook-blocks-thailand-group/index.html|title=Facebook prepares legal action against Thai government's order to block group|access-date=August 25, 2020|website=CNN International}}</ref>

In February 2021, Facebook removed the main page of the [[Myanmar]] military, after two protesters were shot and killed during the [[2021 Myanmar protests|anti-coup protests]]. Facebook said that the page breached its guidelines that prohibit the incitement of violence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-21/facebook-removes-main-page-of-myanmar-military/13176760|title=Facebook removes main page of Myanmar military for 'incitement of violence'|access-date=February 21, 2021|website=ABC News|date=February 21, 2021}}</ref> On February 25, Facebook announced to ban all accounts of the Myanmar military, along with the "[[Tatmadaw]]-linked commercial entities". Citing the "exceptionally severe human rights abuses and the clear risk of future military-initiated violence in Myanmar", the tech giant also implemented the move on its subsidiary, [[Instagram]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210225-facebook-bans-myanmar-military-accounts-from-its-platforms-citing-coup|title=Facebook bans Myanmar military accounts from its platforms, citing coup|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=France 24|date=February 25, 2021}}</ref>

In March 2021, ''The Wall Street Journal''{{'s}} [[editorial board]] criticized Facebook's decision to fact-check its [[op-ed]] titled "We'll Have [[Herd immunity]] by April" written by [[surgeon]] [[Marty Makary]], calling it "counter-opinion masquerading as fact checking."<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=March 5, 2021|title=Opinion {{!}} Fact-Checking Facebook's Fact Checkers|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fact-checking-facebooks-fact-checkers-11614987375|access-date=March 7, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

Facebook guidelines allow users to call for the death of public figures, they also allow praise of mass killers and 'violent non-state actors' in some situations.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 23, 2021|title=Facebook guidelines allow for users to call for death of public figures|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/23/facebook-guidelines-allow-for-users-to-call-for-death-of-public-figures|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=March 23, 2021|title=Facebook leak underscores strategy to operate in repressive regimes|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/23/facebook-leak-underscore-strategy-operate-repressive-regimes|access-date=March 25, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, former Facebook analyst within the ''Spam'' and ''Fake Engagement'' teams, [[Sophie Zhang (whistleblower)|Sophie Zhang]], reported on more than 25 political subversion operations she uncovered while in Facebook, and the general laissez-faire by the private enterprise.<ref name="auto7" /><ref name="auto6" /><ref name="auto5" />

In 2021, Facebook was cited as playing a role in the fomenting of the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |date=February 7, 2021 |title=Sheryl Sandberg Downplayed Facebook's Role In The Capitol Hill Siege—Justice Department Files Tell A Very Different Story |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/02/07/sheryl-sandberg-downplayed-facebooks-role-in-the-capitol-hill-siege-justice-department-files-tell-a-very-different-story/ |access-date=March 9, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Dwoskin |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Albergotti |first3=Reed |date=October 22, 2021 |title=Inside Facebook, Jan. 6 violence fueled anger, regret over missed warning signs |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/22/jan-6-capitol-riot-facebook/ |access-date=March 9, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en}}</ref>

==== Russian interference ====

{{See also|Internet Research Agency|Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections}}

In 2018, Special Counsel [[Robert Mueller]] indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian organizations for "engaging in operations to interfere with U.S. political and electoral processes, including the 2016 presidential election."<ref>{{cite news|title=Internet Research Agency indicted: Who is the Russian company behind the fake Facebook ads?|url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/internet-research-agency-indicted-who-is-the-russian-company-behind-the-fake-facebook-ads|work=Fox News|date=February 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=13 Russians Indicted as Mueller Reveals Effort to Aid Trump Campaign|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russians-indicted-mueller-election-interference.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216182422/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russians-indicted-mueller-election-interference.html |archive-date=2018-02-16 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The New York Times|date=February 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Exposing Russia's Effort to Sow Discord Online: The Internet Research Agency and Advertisements|url=https://intelligence.house.gov/social-media-content/|website=intelligence.house.gov|publisher=Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|access-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref>

Mueller contacted Facebook subsequently to the company's disclosure that it had sold more than $100,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|100000|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) worth of ads to a company ([[Internet Research Agency]], owned by Russian billionaire and businessman [[Yevgeniy Prigozhin]]) with links to the Russian intelligence community before the [[2016 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-gave-special-counsel-robert-mueller-more-details-on-russian-ad-buys-than-congress-1505514552|title=Facebook Gave Special Counsel Robert Mueller More Details on Russian Ad Buys Than Congress|last1=Seetharaman|first1=Deepa|date=September 15, 2017|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=September 15, 2017|last2=Tau|first2=Byron|issn=0099-9660|last3=Harris|first3=Shane}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook sold $100,000 of political ads to fake Russian accounts during 2016 US election|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-russia-ads-us-election-political-adverts-trump-putin-fake-news-a7933461.html|access-date=May 24, 2019|work=The Independent|date=September 6, 2017 }}</ref> In September 2017, Facebook's chief security officer [[Alex Stamos]] wrote the company "found approximately $100,000 in ad spending from June 2015 to May 2017 – associated with roughly 3,000 ads – that was connected to about 470 inauthentic accounts and Pages in violation of our policies. Our analysis suggests these accounts and Pages were affiliated with one another and likely operated out of Russia."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Facebook Says Russian Accounts Bought $100,000 in Ads During the 2016 Election|url=http://time.com/4930532/facebook-russian-accounts-2016-election/|magazine=Time|date=September 6, 2017}}</ref> Clinton and Trump campaigns spent $81 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|81000000|2016}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) on Facebook ads.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Studies Show Pundits Are Wrong About Russian Social-Media Involvement in US Politics|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/russiagate-elections-interference/|work=The Nation|date=December 28, 2018|access-date=June 2, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603215617/https://www.thenation.com/article/russiagate-elections-interference/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The company pledged full cooperation in [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Mueller's investigation]], and provided all information about the Russian advertisements.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/06/facebook-gave-special-counsel-robert-mueller-data-on-russian-ads-report-says.html|title=Facebook gave special counsel Robert Mueller data on Russian ads, report says|last=Castillo|first=Michelle|website=[[CNBC]]|date=September 6, 2017|access-date=September 7, 2017}}</ref> Members of the [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|House]] and [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Senate Intelligence Committees]] have claimed that Facebook had withheld information that could illuminate the Russian propaganda campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/facebooks-openness-on-russia-questioned-by-congressional-investigators/2017/09/18/060e1ee4-9c90-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html|title=Facebook's openness on Russia questioned by congressional investigators|last1=Leonnig|first1=Carol D.|date=September 18, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=September 19, 2017|last2=Dwoskin|first2=Elizabeth|issn=0190-8286|last3=Timberg|first3=Craig}}</ref> Russian operatives have used Facebook polarize the American public discourses, organizing both [[Black Lives Matter]] rallies<ref>{{cite news|title=Russians trolls organized a protest in the US|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/06/25/russia-protest-philando-castile-distorting-truth-orig.cnn/video/playlists/russian-trolls-exploit-philando-castiles-death/|work=CNN|date=June 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Did Russian hackers organize Philando Castile protest? Activists say no|url=http://www.startribune.com/local-organizers-doubt-reports-of-russian-ties-to-castile-protest/454368633/|work=[[Star Tribune]]|date=November 1, 2017}}</ref> and anti-immigrant rallies on U.S. soil,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/exclusive-russia-used-facebook-events-to-organize-anti-immigrant-rallies-on-us-soil|title=Exclusive: Russia Used Facebook Events to Organize Anti-Immigrant Rallies on U.S. Soil|last=Ackerman|first=Ben Collins{{!}}Kevin Poulsen{{!}}Spencer|date=September 12, 2017|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref> as well as anti-Clinton rallies<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://amp.businessinsider.com/facebook-group-russia-texas-anti-immigrant-rallies-2017-9|title=Shuttered Facebook group that organized anti-Clinton, anti-immigrant rallies across Texas was linked to Russia|work=Business Insider|access-date=September 14, 2017 }}</ref> and rallies both for and against Donald Trump.<ref>"[http://fortune.com/2018/02/17/russian-organized-rallies-election-meddling/ Russians Staged Rallies For and Against Trump to Promote Discord, Indictment Says]". ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]''. February 17, 2018.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/russians-appear-to-use-facebook-to-push-pro-trump-flash-mobs-in-florida|title=Exclusive: Russians Appear to Use Facebook to Push Trump Rallies in 17 U.S. Cities|last=Ackerman|first=Ben Collins{{!}}Gideon Resnick{{!}}Kevin Poulsen{{!}}Spencer|date=September 20, 2017|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=September 20, 2017}}</ref> Facebook ads have also been used to exploit divisions over black political activism and Muslims by simultaneously sending contrary messages to different users based on their political and demographic characteristics in order to sow discord.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/russian-operatives-used-facebook-ads-to-exploit-divisions-over-black-political-activism-and-muslims/2017/09/25/4a011242-a21b-11e7-ade1-76d061d56efa_story.html|title=Russian operatives used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over black political activism and Muslims|last=Dwoskin|first=Adam Entous, Craig Timberg and Elizabeth|date=September 25, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=September 25, 2017|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>"[https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/27/media/facebook-black-lives-matter-targeting/index.html Exclusive: Russian-bought Black Lives Matter ad on Facebook targeted Baltimore and Ferguson]". CNN. September 28, 2017.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/exclusive-russians-impersonated-real-american-muslims-to-stir-chaos-on-facebook-and-instagram|title=Exclusive: Russians Impersonated Real American Muslims to Stir Chaos on Facebook and Instagram|last=Ackerman|first=Ben Collins{{!}}Kevin Poulsen{{!}}Spencer|date=September 27, 2017|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=September 28, 2017}}</ref> Zuckerberg has stated that he regrets having dismissed concerns over Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/27/mark-zuckerberg-says-facebook-impact-on-2016-election-went-beyond-ads.html|title=Mark Zuckerberg responds to Trump, regrets he dismissed election concerns|last=Shinal|first=John|date=September 27, 2017|work=CNBC|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref>

Russian-American billionaire [[Yuri Milner]], who befriended Zuckerberg<ref name="auto4">"[https://www.icij.org/investigations/paradise-papers/kremlin-owned-firms-linked-major-twitter-facebook-investments-icij/ Kremlin-owned Firms Linked to Major Investments in Twitter and Facebook]". ''International Consortium of Investigative Journalists – ICIJ''. November 5, 2017.</ref> between 2009 and 2011 had [[Kremlin]] backing for his investments in Facebook and Twitter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/05/world/yuri-milner-facebook-twitter-russia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105190211/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/05/world/yuri-milner-facebook-twitter-russia.html |archive-date=2017-11-05 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Kremlin Cash Behind Billionaire's Twitter and Facebook Investments|last=Drucker|first=Jesse|date=November 5, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 6, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In January 2019, Facebook removed 289 pages and 75 coordinated accounts linked to the Russian state-owned news agency [[Sputnik (news agency)|Sputnik]] which had misrepresented themselves as independent news or general interest pages.<ref name=DaFN>{{cite web|title=Disinformation and 'fake news': Final Report|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcumeds/1791/179109.htm|website=publications.parliament.uk|publisher=Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee – House of Commons|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Gleicher|first=Nathaniel|title=Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior from Russia|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/01/removing-cib-from-russia/|publisher=Facebook Newsroom|access-date=May 24, 2019|date=January 17, 2019}}</ref> Facebook later identified and removed an additional 1,907 accounts linked to Russia found to be engaging in "coordinated inauthentic behaviour".<ref>{{cite news|last=Cuthbertson|first=Antony|title=Facebook removes thousands more Russian accounts|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-russia-bots-brexit-account-iran-instagram-a8840256.html|access-date=May 24, 2019|work=The Independent|date=March 26, 2019 }}</ref> In 2018, a UK [[Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport]] (DCMS) select committee report had criticised Facebook for its reluctance to investigate abuse of its platform by the Russian government, and for downplaying the extent of the problem, referring to the company as 'digital gangsters'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disinformation and 'fake news': Interim Report|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcumeds/363/36308.htm|website=publications.parliament.uk|publisher=Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee – House of Commons}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Cadwalladr|first=Carole|author-link=Carole Cadwalladr|title=A withering verdict: MPs report on Zuckerberg, Russia and Cambridge Analytica|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/28/dcms-report-fake-news-disinformation-brexit-facebook-russia|access-date=May 24, 2019|work=[[The Observer]]|date=July 28, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite web|date=February 18, 2019|title=Facebook labelled 'digital gangsters' by report on fake news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/18/facebook-fake-news-investigation-report-regulation-privacy-law-dcms|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><blockquote>"Democracy is at risk from the malicious and relentless targeting of citizens with disinformation and personalised 'dark adverts' from unidentifiable sources, delivered through the major social media platforms we use every day," Damian Collins, DCMS Committee Chair<ref name=":6" /></blockquote>In February 2019, [[Glenn Greenwald]] wrote that a cybersecurity company New Knowledge, which is behind one of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Senate reports]] on Russian social media election interference, "was caught just six weeks ago engaging in a massive scam to create fictitious Russian troll accounts on Facebook and Twitter in order to claim that the Kremlin was working to defeat Democratic Senate nominee [[Doug Jones (politician)|Doug Jones]] in Alabama. ''[[The New York Times]]'', when exposing the scam, quoted a New Knowledge report that boasted of its fabrications..."<ref>{{cite news|title=NBC News, to Claim Russia Supports Tulsi Gabbard, Relies on Firm Just Caught Fabricating Russia Data for the Democratic Party|url=https://theintercept.com/2019/02/03/nbc-news-to-claim-russia-supports-tulsi-gabbard-relies-on-firm-just-caught-fabricating-russia-data-for-the-democratic-party/|work=The Intercept|date=February 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Secret Experiment in Alabama Senate Race Imitated Russian Tactics|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/alabama-senate-roy-jones-russia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220010545/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/alabama-senate-roy-jones-russia.html |archive-date=2018-12-20 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The New York Times|date=December 19, 2018}}</ref>

==== Anti-Rohingya propaganda ====

In 2018, Facebook took down 536 Facebook pages, 17 Facebook groups, 175 Facebook accounts, and 16 Instagram accounts linked to the [[Myanmar]] military. Collectively these were followed by over 10 million people.<ref>{{cite web|title=Removing Myanmar Military Officials From Facebook|date=August 28, 2018|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/08/removing-myanmar-officials/|publisher=Facebook Newsroom|access-date=May 27, 2019 }}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported that:<ref>{{cite news|last=Mozur|first=Paul|title=A Genocide Incited on Facebook, With Posts From Myanmar's Military|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/technology/myanmar-facebook-genocide.html|access-date=May 27, 2019|work=The New York Times|date=October 15, 2018}}</ref>

{{blockquote|after months of reports about anti-Rohingya propaganda on Facebook, the company acknowledged that it had been too slow to act in Myanmar. By then, more than 700,000 Rohingya had fled the country in a year, in what United Nations officials called "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."}}

==== Anti-Muslim propaganda and Hindu nationalism in India ====

A 2019 book titled ''The Real Face of Facebook in India'', co-authored by the journalists [[Paranjoy Guha Thakurta]] and Cyril Sam, alleged that Facebook helped enable and benefited from the rise of [[Narendra Modi]]'s [[Hindu nationalism|Hindu nationalist]] [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) in [[India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Past and Future of Facebook and BJP's Mutually Beneficial Relationship|url=https://thewire.in/politics/bjp-facebook-india-modi|website=The Wire}}</ref>

Ankhi Das, Facebook's policy director for India and South and Central Asia, apologized publicly in August 2020 for sharing a Facebook post that called Muslims in India a "degenerate community". She said she shared the post "to reflect my deep belief in celebrating feminism and civic participation".<ref>{{cite web|title=A Facebook Executive Who Shared An Anti-Muslim Post Has Apologized To Employees|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/pranavdixit/facebook-executive-apologies-anti-muslim-post|access-date=September 2, 2020|website=BuzzFeed News|language=en}}</ref> She is reported to have prevented action by Facebook against anti-Muslim content<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Ellis-Petersen|first1=Hannah|last2=Rahman|first2=Shaikh Azizur|date=September 1, 2020|title=Facebook faces grilling by MPs in India over anti-Muslim hate speech|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/01/facebook-faces-grilling-by-mps-in-india-over-anti-muslim-hate-speech|access-date=September 2, 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> and supported the BJP in internal Facebook messages.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Purnell|first=Jeff Horwitz and Newley|date=August 30, 2020|title=Facebook Executive Supported India's Modi, Disparaged Opposition in Internal Messages|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-executive-supported-indias-modi-disparaged-opposition-in-internal-messages-11598809348|access-date=September 1, 2020|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=New Report Says Facebook's Ankhi Das Supported Modi, Hoped for BJP's Victory|url=https://thewire.in/tech/facebook-ankhi-das-modi-bjp-support-wsj-new-report|access-date=September 1, 2020|website=The Wire}}</ref>

In 2020, Facebook executives overrode their employees' recommendations that the BJP politician [[T. Raja Singh]] should be banned from the site for [[Hate speech laws in India|hate speech]] and rhetoric that could lead to violence. Singh had said on Facebook that [[Rohingya people|Rohingya Muslim immigrants]] should be shot and had threatened to destroy [[mosque]]s. Current and former Facebook employees told ''The Wall Street Journal'' that the decision was part of a pattern of favoritism by Facebook toward the BJP as it seeks more business in India.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|title=Watch {{!}} Why Did Facebook Not Remove BJP-Linked Anti-Muslim Hate Posts?|url=https://thewire.in/video/watch-facebook-bjp-hate-posts-wall-street-journal-raja-singh|access-date=September 1, 2020|website=The Wire}}</ref> Facebook also took no action after BJP politicians made posts accusing Muslims of intentionally spreading [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19]], an employee said.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Purnell|first1=Newley|last2=Horwitz|first2=Jeff|date=August 14, 2020|title=Facebook's Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-hate-speech-india-politics-muslim-hindu-modi-zuckerberg-11597423346|access-date=August 16, 2020|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

On August 31, 2020, the [[Delhi Legislative Assembly|Delhi Assembly]] began investigating whether Facebook bore blame for the [[2020 Delhi riots|2020 religious riots]] in the city, claiming it had found Facebook "prima facie guilty of a role in the violence".<ref>{{Cite news|author=Staff Reporter|date=August 31, 2020|title=Assembly panel alleges role of Facebook in Delhi riots|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/assembly-panel-alleges-role-of-facebook-in-delhi-riots/article32488223.ece|access-date=September 2, 2020|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Deol|first=Taran|date=August 31, 2020|title=Delhi assembly panel wants Facebook named co-accused in communal riots, hints at 'conspiracy'|url=https://theprint.in/india/governance/delhi-assembly-panel-wants-facebook-named-co-accused-in-communal-riots-hints-at-conspiracy/492793/|access-date=September 2, 2020|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref> On September 12, 2020, a Delhi Assembly committee said in a statement that it had asked Facebook India head Ajit Mohan to appear before it on September 15, leading to Facebook objecting and moving the [[Supreme Court of India]] against the decision.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 12, 2020|title=Delhi city lawmakers summon Facebook India chief over February riots|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-facebook-idUSKBN2630N6|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=September 23, 2020|title=Facebook India moves supreme court against Delhi assembly panel summons|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/facebook-india-moves-supreme-court-against-delhi-assembly-panel-summons/story-exrgUJRGksKVLeDlUsoMWL.html|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> On September 15, Facebook skipped the Delhi Assembly panel hearing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Skips Delhi Assembly Panel Hearing, "Insulting," Fume Members|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/facebook-to-be-issued-final-warning-by-delhi-assembly-panel-after-executives-skip-hearing-2295583|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> On September 20, the Delhi Assembly panel issued a new notice asking Facebook to appear before it on September 23.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 20, 2020|title=Delhi Assembly panel issues fresh notice of appearance to Facebook India VP|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-assembly-panel-issues-fresh-notice-of-appearance-to-facebook-india-vp-6603758/|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> On September 22, Facebook India vice-president and managing director Ajit Mohan moved the Supreme Court against the summons of the Delhi Assembly Committee.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 22, 2020|title=Facebook India VP moves Supreme Court against Delhi Assembly panel summoning him|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/fb-india-vp-moves-supreme-court-against-delhi-assembly-panel-summoning-him-11600785870396.html|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=mint|language=en}}</ref> On September 23, the Supreme Court granted him relief and ordered a stay to the summons, with the Central government later backing the decision.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 23, 2020|title=Delhi riots {{!}} Supreme Court grants relief to Facebook official|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/delhi-riots-no-coercive-action-against-facebook-vp-till-oct-15-over-assembly-panel-summons-says-sc/article32677366.ece|access-date=July 5, 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=September 23, 2020|title=SC orders stay on summons to Facebook India V–P by Delhi Assembly panel on riots|work=ThePrint|url=https://theprint.in/judiciary/sc-orders-stay-on-summons-to-facebook-india-v-p-by-delhi-assembly-panel-on-riots/509050/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Centre backs Facebook in SC row with Delhi Assembly over summons|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/centre-backs-facebook-in-sc-row-with-delhi-assembly-over-summons/articleshow/78684769.cms|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> A former Facebook employee told a Delhi Assembly panel on November 13 that the violence could have been 'easily averted' if the social media giant had acted in a 'proactive and prompt manner'.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 13, 2020|title=Delhi riots could have been averted if firm had acted: Ex-Facebook employee|work=Business Standard|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/delhi-riots-could-have-been-averted-if-firm-had-acted-ex-facebook-employee-120111300137_1.html|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> On December 3, the Delhi Assembly moved the Supreme Court for intervention in the case.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Delhi Assembly peace panel moves SC for intervention in Facebook VP Ajit Mohan's case|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/delhi-assembly-peace-panel-moves-sc-for-intervention-in-facebook-vp-ajit-mohans-case/articleshow/79550742.cms|access-date=July 9, 2021}}</ref> On February 4, 2021, the Delhi Assembly panel issued a fresh notice to Facebook India to testify on the riots, avoiding specific notice to Mohan, by asking a senior, responsible officer from the company to appear before the panel.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 5, 2021|title=Facebook gets new notice to appear before Delhi Assembly committee probing riots|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/facebook-gets-new-notice-to-appear-before-delhi-assembly-committee-probing-riots-101612468672035.html|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> The Union government submitted in the Supreme Court that Facebook could not be made accountable before any state assembly and the committee formed was unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 18, 2021|title='Facebook, Twitter can't be accountable to state assemblies': Centre to SC|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/facebook-twitter-can-t-be-accountable-to-state-assemblies-government-101613610284320.html|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=[Delhi Riots] Committee formed by Delhi Assembly to probe social media giants' omissions unconstitutional: Centre, Facebook tell Supreme Court|url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/peace-harmony-committee-constituted-delhi-state-assembly-probe-delhi-riots-unconstitutional-centre-facebook-supreme-court|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=Bar and Bench – Indian Legal news|language=en}}</ref> On February 24, Mohan challenged summons issued by the Delhi assembly for failing to appear before it as a witness in connection with the 2020 riots in the Supreme Court, saying that the 'right to silence' is a virtue in present 'noisy times' and the legislature had no authority to examine him in a law and order case. The Supreme Court reserved its judgment for the case.<ref>{{cite web|title="Expansion Of Power Through Backdoor": Facebook Boss On Delhi Summons|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/facebook-md-ajit-mohan-to-supreme-court-right-to-silence-is-virtue-in-noisy-times-2377893|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> On July 8, the Supreme Court refused to quash the summons and asked Facebook asked to appear before the Delhi assembly panel.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 8, 2021|title=Facebook asked to appear before Delhi assembly panel, Supreme Court refuses to quash summons|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-riots-sc-rejects-facebook-india-vp-ajit-mohan-plea-summons-assembly-committee-7395029/|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

=== Company governance ===

Early Facebook investor and former Zuckerberg mentor [[Roger McNamee]] described Facebook as having "the most centralized decision-making structure I have ever encountered in a large company."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/books/review/roger-mcnamee-zucked.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129162648/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/books/review/roger-mcnamee-zucked.html |archive-date=2019-01-29 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=An Anti-Facebook Manifesto, by an Early Facebook Investor|first=Tom|last=Bissell|date=January 29, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> [[Nathan Schneider]], a professor of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder argued for transforming Facebook into a [[platform cooperative]] owned and governed by the users.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qvxbgq/its-time-for-mark-zuckerberg-to-give-up-control-of-facebook|title=It's Time for Mark Zuckerberg to Give Up Control of Facebook|first1=Nathan|last1=Schneider|first2=Harry|last2=Cheadle|date=March 27, 2018}}</ref>

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes states that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has too much power, that the company is now a monopoly, and that, as a result, it should be split into multiple smaller companies. Hughes called for the breakup of Facebook in an [[op-ed]] on ''The New York Times''. Hughes says he's concerned that Zuckerberg has surrounded himself with a team that doesn't challenge him and that as a result, it's the U.S. government's job to hold him accountable and curb his "unchecked power."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-co-founder-chris-hughes-calls-for-companys-breakup-zuckerberg/|title=Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes calls for company's breakup|first=Shelby|last=Brown|website=CNET}}</ref> Hughes also said that "Mark's power is unprecedented and un-American."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/opinion/sunday/chris-hughes-facebook-zuckerberg.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509103054/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/opinion/sunday/chris-hughes-facebook-zuckerberg.html |archive-date=2019-05-09 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Opinion | It's Time to Break Up Facebook|first=Chris|last=Hughes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 9, 2019}}</ref> Several U.S. politicians agree with Hughes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/more-politicians-side-with-chris-hughes-and-are-ready-to-split-up-facebook/|title=More politicians side with Facebook co-founder on breaking up company|first=Shelby|last=Brown|website=CNET}}</ref> EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager has stated that splitting Facebook should only be done as "a remedy of the very last resort", and that splitting Facebook would not solve Facebook's underlying problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/eu-competition-commissioner-facebook-breakup-would-be-last-resort/|title=EU competition commissioner: Facebook breakup would be 'last resort'|first=Katie|last=Collins|website=CNET}}</ref>

=== Litigation ===

The company has been subject to repeated litigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/01/appeals-court-upholds-deal-allowing-kids-images-in-facebook-ads/|title=Appeals court upholds deal allowing kids' images in Facebook ads|last=Farivar|first=Cyrus|date=January 7, 2016|website=Ars Technica|publisher=Condé Nast|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yahoo-facebook-lawsuit-idUSBRE82B18M20120312|title=Yahoo sues Facebook for infringing 10 patents|last1=Levine|first1=Dan|last2=Oreskovic|first2=Alexei|date=March 12, 2012|website=[[Reuters]]|publisher=Thomson Reuters|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.recode.net/2017/2/1/14476500/facebook-oculus-zenimax-lawsuit-500-million|title=Facebook lost its Oculus lawsuit and has to pay $500 million|last=Wagner|first=Kurt|date=February 1, 2017|website=[[Recode]]|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/11712804/facebook-private-message-scanning-privacy-lawsuit|title=Lawsuit claims Facebook illegally scanned private messages|last=Brandom|first=Rusell|date=May 19, 2016|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> Its most prominent case addressed allegations that Zuckerberg broke an [[oral contract]] with [[Cameron Winklevoss]], [[Tyler Winklevoss]], and [[Divya Narendra]] to build the [[ConnectU|then-named "HarvardConnection"]] social network in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jul/25/digitalmedia.usnews|title=Facebook in court over ownership|last=Tryhorn|first=Chris|date=July 25, 2007|website=The Guardian|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3391856|title=Facebook Founder Accused of Stealing Idea for Site|last=Michels|first=Scott|date=July 20, 2007|website=[[ABC News]]|publisher=[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-mark-zuckerberg-hacked-connectu-2010-3|title=How Mark Zuckerberg Hacked into Rival ConnectU In 2004|last=Carlson|first=Nicholas|date=March 5, 2010|website=Business Insider|publisher=Axel Springer SE|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref>

On March 6, 2018, [[BlackBerry Limited|BlackBerry]] sued Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp subdivision for ripping off key features of its messaging app.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/03/07/blackberry-to-facebook-stole-our-messaging-technology.html|title=BlackBerry to Facebook: You stole our messaging technology|date=March 7, 2018|work=Fox News|access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref>

In October 2018, a Texan woman sued Facebook, claiming she had been recruited into the sex trade at the age of 15 by a man who "friended" her on the social media network. Facebook responded that it works both internally and externally to ban sex traffickers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sex-trafficking-facebook-lawsuit/woman-sues-facebook-claims-site-enabled-sex-trafficking-idUSKCN1MD080|title=Woman sues Facebook, claims site enabled sex trafficking|last=Whitcomb|first=Dan|work=U.S.|access-date=October 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sex-trafficking-facebook-lawsuit/facebook-responding-to-lawsuit-says-sex-trafficking-banned-on-site-idUSKCN1ME038|title=Facebook, responding to lawsuit, says sex trafficking banned on site|last=Whitcomb|first=Dan|work=U.S.|access-date=October 4, 2018}}</ref>

In 2019, British solicitors representing a [[Almondbury Community School bullying incident|bullied Syrian schoolboy]], sued Facebook over [[Almondbury Community School bullying incident#False claims|false claims]]. They claimed that Facebook protected prominent figures from scrutiny instead of removing content that violates its rules and that the special treatment was financially driven.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/refugee-waterboarded-bullies-sue-facebook-13885978|title=Refugee 'waterboarded' by bullies to sue Facebook over Tommy Robinson claims|last=Jolly|first=Bradley|date=January 21, 2019|work=Mirror}}</ref><ref name="facebookjamalrobinson">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/21/bullied-syrian-schoolboy-to-sue-facebook-over-tommy-robinson-claims|title=Bullied Syrian schoolboy to sue Facebook over Tommy Robinson claims|last=Halliday|first=Josh|date=January 21, 2019|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

The Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of New York state and 47 other state and regional governments filed separate suits against Facebook on December 9, 2020, seeking antitrust action based on its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsUp among other companies, calling these practices as anticompetitive. The suits also assert that in acquiring these products, they weakened their privacy measures for their users. The suits, besides other fines, seek to unwind the acquisitions from Facebook.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/9/22158483/facebook-antitrust-lawsuit-anti-competition-behavior-attorneys-general | title = The FTC is suing Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp |first1= Nick | last1= Statt | first2= Russell |last2=Brandom | date = December 9, 2020 | access-date = December 9, 2020 | work = The Verge }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.marketwatch.com/story/facebook-hit-with-antitrust-suit-from-ftc-and-48-states-targeted-at-acquisitions-11607543049 | title = Facebook hit with antitrust suits from FTC, 48 AGs to 'unwind' Instagram, WhatsApp transactions | first = Jon | last = Swartz |date = December 9, 2020 | access-date = December 9, 2020 | work = [[Marketwatch]] }}</ref>

On January 6, 2022, France's data privacy regulatory body [[CNIL]] fined Facebook a 60 million euros for not allowing its internet users an easy refusal of [[HTTP cookie|cookies]] along with [[Google]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rosemain|first=Mathieu|date=January 6, 2022|title=Google hit with 150 mln euro French fine for cookie breaches|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-imposes-fines-facebook-ireland-google-2022-01-06/|access-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref>

=== Minors exposed to sexual content on VR apps ===

In February 2022, a [[BBC News]] researcher posing as a 13-year-old girl witnessed grooming, sexual material, racist insults and a rape threat on the [[VRChat]] app. The [[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children]] head of online child safety policy Andy Burrows added the investigation had found "a toxic combination of risks". The BBC researcher downloaded VRChat from an app store on Facebook's [[Meta Quest]] headset, with no age verification checks – the only requirement being a Facebook account. The BBC News researcher created a fake profile to set up her account – and her real identity was not checked.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60415317 |title=Metaverse app allows kids into virtual strip clubs |work=BBC News |date= February 23, 2022|access-date=February 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/metaverse-app-allows-kids-virtual-081835947.html |title=Metaverse app allows kids into virtual strip clubs |publisher=Yahoo.com |date=February 23, 2022 |access-date=February 25, 2022}}</ref> While Oculus has a form where users can report abuse, the Center for Countering Digital Hate claims Meta rarely takes them seriously, reporting 100 policy violations on Oculus, they did not receive a response. Imran Ahmed, the charity’s chief executive, branded it "a cesspit of hate, pornography and child grooming."<ref>Roper, Matt (February 9, 2022). [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/predators-use-virtual-reality-chatroom-26186533 "Predators use virtual reality chatroom to target children on popular gaming device."] ''[[Daily Mirror|Mirror.co.uk]]''. Retrieved February 27, 2022.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.counterhate.com/post/new-research-shows-metaverse-is-not-safe-for-kids |title=New research shows Metaverse is not safe for kids |publisher=Counterhate.com |date=December 30, 2021 |accessdate=February 25, 2022}}</ref>

Impact{{anchor|Social impact}}[edit]

[[File:Ad-tech London 2010 (5).JPG|thumb|Facebook on the [[ad:tech]] 2010]]

=== Scope ===

A commentator in ''The Washington Post'' noted that Facebook constitutes a "massive depository of information that documents both our reactions to events and our evolving customs with a scope and immediacy of which earlier historians could only dream".<ref name=WashPost_20190508 /> Especially for anthropologists, social researchers, and social historians—and subject to proper preservation and curation—the website "will preserve images of our lives that are vastly crisper and more nuanced than any ancestry record in existence".<ref name=WashPost_20190508>{{cite news|last=Gebelhoff|first=Robert|title=Facebook is becoming a vast digital graveyard – and a gift to the future|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/08/facebook-is-becoming-vast-digital-graveyard-gift-future/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508220055/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/08/facebook-is-becoming-vast-digital-graveyard-gift-future/|archive-date=May 8, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=July 16, 2019 }}</ref>

=== Economy ===

Economists have noted that Facebook offers many non-rivalrous services that benefit as many users as are interested without forcing users to compete with each other. By contrast, most goods are available to a limited number of users. E.g., if one user buys a phone, no other user can buy that phone. Three areas add the most economic impact: platform competition, the market place and user behavior data.<ref>{{cite book|doi=10.1017/CBO9781139060011.003|chapter=The Economics of Internet Markets|title=Advances in Economics and Econometrics|pages=48–75|year=2013|last=Levin|first=Jonathan|s2cid=37187854|isbn=978-1-139-06001-1|url=http://www-siepr.stanford.edu/repec/sip/10-018.pdf|editor1-last=Acemoglu|editor1-first=Daron|editor2-last=Arellano|editor2-first=Manuel|editor3-last=Dekel|editor3-first=Eddie|access-date=September 2, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808002527/http://www-siepr.stanford.edu/repec/sip/10-018.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Facebook began to reduce its carbon impact after Greenpeace attacked it for its long-term reliance on coal and resulting carbon footprint.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2011/12/greenpeace-declares-victory-over-facebook-data-centers/|title=Greenpeace Declares Victory Over Facebook Data Centers|magazine=Wired|date= December 15, 2011|access-date=August 14, 2018}}</ref> In 2021 Facebook announced that their global operations are supported by 100 percent renewable energy and they have reached net zero emissions, a goal set in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tech.fb.com/renewable-energy/|title=Achieving our goal: 100% renewable energy for our global operations|date=April 15, 2021|website=Facebook Technology}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/facebook-reaches-renewable-energy-target-094057219.html|title=Facebook reaches its target of using 100 percent renewable energy|website=Engadget}}</ref>

Facebook provides a development platform for many [[social-network game|social gaming]], communication, feedback, review, and other applications related to online activities. This platform spawned many businesses and added thousands of jobs to the global economy. [[Zynga Inc.]], a leader in social gaming, is an example of such a business. An [[Econometrics|econometric]] analysis found that Facebook's app development platform added more than 182,000 jobs in the U.S. economy in 2011. The total economic value of the added employment was about $12 billion (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|12000000000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}).<ref>{{cite web|title=The Facebook App Economy|date=September 19, 2011|publisher=University of Maryland|url=https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/files/Documents/Centers/DIGITS/AppEconomyImpact091911.pdf|access-date=June 25, 2017|archive-date=March 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301183356/https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/files/Documents/Centers/DIGITS/AppEconomyImpact091911.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Society ===

{{See also|Social networking service#Social impact|Social impact of the Internet#Social networking and entertainment|Social capital}}

Facebook was one of the first large-scale [[social network]]s. In ''The Facebook Effect'', David Kirkpatrick stated that Facebook's structure makes it difficult to replace, because of its "[[network effect]]s".{{POV statement|date=January 2020}} As of 2016, it is estimated that 44 percent of the US population gets news through Facebook.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/facebook-extends-lead-as-news-gateway-study/articleshow/52456528.cms|title=Facebook extends lead as news gateway: Study – The Economic Times|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=May 27, 2016|date=May 26, 2016 }}</ref>

=== Mental and emotional health ===

Studies have associated social networks with positive<ref>{{Cite journal| doi=10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x|title = The Benefits of Facebook "Friends:" Social Capital and College Students' Use of Online Social Network Sites| journal=Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication| volume=12| issue=4| pages=1143–1168|year = 2007|last1 = Ellison|first1 = Nicole B.| last2=Steinfield| first2=Charles| last3=Lampe| first3=Cliff| doi-access=free}}</ref> and negative impacts<ref>{{cite web|first=Stephen|last=Marche|title=Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/308930/|website=[[The Atlantic]]|publisher=[[Emerson Collective]]|access-date=December 15, 2017|date=April 2, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Maria|last=Konnikova|title=How Facebook Makes Us Unhappy|url=https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/how-facebook-makes-us-unhappy|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|publisher=Condé Nast|date=September 10, 2013|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Grace|last=Dent|title=Social media is full of sad, lonely people pretending they're OK and perfectly fine attention-seekers pretending to be sad|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/facebook-instagram-twitter-social-media-makes-sad-lonely-attention-seekers-a7614396.html|website=The Independent|date=March 6, 2017|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Alexandra|last=Sifferlin|title=Why Facebook Makes You Feel Bad About Yourself|url=http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/24/why-facebook-makes-you-feel-bad-about-yourself/|magazine=Time|date=January 24, 2013|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Katherine|last=Hobson|title=Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely-too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why|website=[[NPR]]|date=March 6, 2017|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref> on emotional health.

Studies have associated Facebook with feelings of [[envy]], often triggered by vacation and holiday photos. Other triggers include posts by friends about family happiness and images of physical beauty—such feelings leave people dissatisfied with their own lives. A joint study by two German universities discovered that one out of three people were more dissatisfied with their lives after visiting Facebook,<ref>{{cite web|first=Belinda|last=Goldsmith|title=RPT-Is Facebook envy making you miserable?|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/facebook-envy-idUSL6N0AR8D820130122|website=[[Reuters]]|publisher=Thomson Reuters|date=January 22, 2013|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name="CNN studies" /> and another study by [[Utah Valley University]] found that college students felt worse about themselves following an increase in time on Facebook.<ref name="CNN studies">{{cite web|first=Heather|last=Kelly|title=Study: Using Facebook can make you sad|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/15/tech/social-media/study-facebook-blues/index.html|website=CNN|date=August 15, 2013|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Mike|last=Flacy|title=Study: Why Facebook is making people sad|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/study-why-facebook-is-making-people-sad/|website=[[Digital Trends]]|date=January 22, 2012|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Wendy|last=Sachs|title=Facebook Envy: How Cruising Can Kill Self Esteem|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendy-sachs/facebook_b_1262681.html|website=[[HuffPost]]|publisher=AOL|date=February 8, 2012|access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref> Professor Larry D. Rosen stated that teenagers on Facebook exhibit more narcissistic tendencies, while young adults show signs of antisocial behavior, [[mania]] and aggressiveness.

Positive effects include signs of "virtual empathy" with online friends and helping introverted persons learn social skills.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ysolt|last=Usigan|title=Facebook makes teens narcissistic, anxious and depressed – but also nice, social and engaged|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-makes-teens-narcissistic-anxious-and-depressed-but-also-nice-social-and-engaged/|website=CBS News|publisher=[[CBS]]|date=August 29, 2011|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref> A 2020 experimental study in the ''American Economic Review'' found that deactivating Facebook led to increased subjective well-being.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Allcott|first1=Hunt|last2=Braghieri|first2=Luca|last3=Eichmeyer|first3=Sarah|last4=Gentzkow|first4=Matthew|date=2020|title=The Welfare Effects of Social Media|journal=American Economic Review|language=en|volume=110|issue=3|pages=629–676|doi=10.1257/aer.20190658|issn=0002-8282|doi-access=free}}</ref> In a blog post in December 2017, the company highlighted research that has shown "passively consuming" the [[News Feed]], as in reading but not interacting, left users with negative feelings, whereas interacting with messages pointed to improvements in well-being.<ref>{{cite web|first=Casey|last=Newton|title=Facebook says 'passively consuming' the News Feed will make you feel worse about yourself|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/15/16781448/facebook-makes-you-feel-bad-study-research|website=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=December 15, 2017|access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref>

Politics{{anchor|Political_impact}}[edit]

{{further|Social media and political communication in the United States|Social media in the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign}}

In February 2008, a Facebook group called "One Million Voices Against FARC" organized an event in which hundreds of thousands of [[Colombians]] marched in protest against the [[Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia]] (FARC).<ref>{{cite news|access-date=August 1, 2010|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2008/0204/p04s02-woam.html|title=Facebook used to target Colombia's FARC with global rally|work=The Christian Science Monitor|location=Boston|date=February 4, 2008|author=Brodzinsky, Sibylla}}</ref> In August 2010, one of [[North Korea]]'s official government websites and the country's official news agency, [[Uriminzokkiri]], joined Facebook.<ref>{{cite news|first=Laura|last=Roberts|title=North Korea joins Facebook|date=August 21, 2010|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7957222/North-Korea-joins-Facebook.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7957222/North-Korea-joins-Facebook.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=August 22, 2010|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:2011 Egyptian protests Facebook & jan25 card.jpg|thumb|A man during the 2011 Egyptian protests carrying a card saying "Facebook,#jan25, The Egyptian Social Network"]]

During the [[Arab Spring]] many journalists claimed that Facebook played a major role in the [[2011 Egyptian revolution]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Sutter, John D.|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/02/21/egypt.internet.revolution/index.html|title=The faces of Egypt's 'Revolution 2.0'|work=CNN|date=February 21, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hauslohner|first=Abigail|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2044142,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125022244/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2044142,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2011|title=Is Egypt About to Have a Facebook Revolution?|magazine=Time|location=New York|date=January 24, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2013}}</ref> On January 14, the Facebook page of "We are all Khaled Said" was started by Wael Ghoniem to invite the Egyptian people to "peaceful demonstrations" on January 25. According to [[Mashable]],{{unreliable source?|date=November 2014}} in Tunisia and Egypt, Facebook became the primary tool for connecting protesters and led the Egyptian government to ban Facebook, Twitter and other websites on January 26<ref>{{cite news|author=Kessler, Sarah|url=http://mashable.com/2011/01/26/facebook-blocked-in-egypt/|title=Facebook & Twitter Both Blocked in Egypt|work=Mashable|date=January 26, 2011|access-date=June 7, 2013}}</ref> then ban all mobile and Internet connections for all of Egypt on January 28. After 18 days, the uprising forced President [[Hosni Mubarak]] to resign.

In [[Bahraini uprising of 2011|a Bahraini uprising]] that started on February 14, 2011, Facebook was utilized by the Bahraini regime and regime loyalists to identify, capture and prosecute citizens involved in the protests. A 20-year-old woman named [[Ayat Al-Qurmezi|Ayat Al Qurmezi]] was identified as a protester using Facebook and imprisoned.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook 'used to hunt down Bahrain dissidents'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/8681230/Facebook-used-to-hunt-down-Bahrain-dissidents.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/8681230/Facebook-used-to-hunt-down-Bahrain-dissidents.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=September 24, 2015|date=August 4, 2011|last=Agencies|first=Suzi Dixon and }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2011, Facebook filed paperwork with the [[Federal Election Commission]] to form a [[political action committee]] under the name ''FB PAC''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/26/facebook-forms-its-own-pac_n_982053.html|title=Facebook forms its own Political Action Committee|date=September 26, 2011|work=Huffington Post|access-date=September 27, 2011|first=Luke|last=Johnson}}</ref> In an email to ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]'', a spokesman for Facebook said "Facebook [[Political Action Committee]] will give our employees a way to make their voice heard in the political process by supporting candidates who share our goals of promoting the value of innovation to our economy while giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/183951-facebook-forming-own-pac-to-back-candidates|title=Facebook to form its own PAC to back political candidates|first=Gautham|last=Nagesh|date=September 26, 2011|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 27, 2011|location=Washington DC}}</ref>

During the Syrian civil war, the [[People's Protection Units|YPG]], a libertarian army for [[Rojava]] recruited westerners through Facebook in its fight against [[ISIL]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kobani Kurds Use Facebook To Recruit Foreign Fighters in Struggle Against IS |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/islamic-state-ypg-foreign-fighters/26690432.html |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> Dozens joined its ranks. The Facebook page's name "The Lions of Rojava" comes from a Kurdish saying which translates as "A lion is a lion, whether it's a female or a male", reflecting the organization's feminist ideology.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/frontline-isis-real-story-narin-afrini-kurdish-female-lions-terrorising-islamic-front-1470119|title=Frontline Isis: The Real Story of Narin Afrini and the Kurdish Female 'Lions' Terrorising Islamic State|work=International Business Times UK|date=October 15, 2014 }}</ref>

In recent years, Facebook's [[News Feed]] algorithms have been identified as a cause of political polarization, for which it has been criticized.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Quattrociocchi|first1=Walter|last2=Uzzi|first2=Brian|last3=Caldarelli|first3=Guido|last4=Scala|first4=Antonio|last5=Puliga|first5=Michelangelo|last6=Vicario|first6=Michela Del|last7=Zollo|first7=Fabiana|last8=Bessi|first8=Alessandro|title=Users Polarization on Facebook and Youtube|journal=PLOS ONE|date=August 23, 2016|volume=11|issue=8|pages=e0159641|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0159641|pmid=27551783|pmc=4994967|issn=1932-6203|arxiv=1604.02705|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1159641B |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Solon|first=Olivia|title=Facebook's failure: did fake news and polarized politics get Trump elected?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/10/facebook-fake-news-election-conspiracy-theories|access-date=May 24, 2019|work=The Guardian|date=November 10, 2016}}</ref> It has likewise been accused of amplifying the reach of '[[fake news]]' and extreme viewpoints, as when it may have enabled conditions which led to the [[2015 Rohingya refugee crisis]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The country where Facebook posts whipped up hate|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-45449938|work=BBC News|access-date=May 24, 2019|date=September 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Mozur|first=Paul|title=A Genocide Incited on Facebook, With Posts From Myanmar's Military|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/technology/myanmar-facebook-genocide.html|access-date=May 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|date=October 15, 2018}}</ref>

Facebook first played a role in the American political process in January 2008, shortly before the [[New Hampshire primary]]. Facebook teamed up with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and [[Saint Anselm College]] to allow users to give live feedback about the "back to back" January 5 Republican and Democratic debates.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Politics/story?id=3899006&page=1|title=ABC News Joins Forces With Facebook|work=ABC News|date=December 18, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Doug|last=Minor|url=http://blogs.anselm.edu/blog/2007/11/29/abcdebates/|title=Saint Anselm to Host ABC Debates Jan. 5|publisher=Saint Anselm College blog|date=November 29, 2007|access-date=July 18, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009210810/http://blogs.anselm.edu/blog/2007/11/29/abcdebates/|archive-date=October 9, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Tahman|last=Bradley|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/abc_wmur_and_facebook_debates/index.html|title=Republicans Lead off ABC News, WMUR-TV and Facebook Back-To-Back Debates in New Hampshire|publisher=ABC News|work=Political Radar blog|date=December 12, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511122929/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/abc_wmur_and_facebook_debates/index.html|archive-date=May 11, 2011}}</ref> Facebook users took part in debate groups on specific topics, voter registration and message questions.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ezra|last=Callahan|url=http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=8183627130|title=Tune in to the ABC News/Facebook Debates, Tonight 7 pm/6c on ABC|publisher=Facebook Blog|date=January 5, 2008|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref>

Over a million people installed the Facebook application "US Politics on Facebook" in order to take part which measured responses to specific comments made by the debating candidates.<ref>{{cite news|first=Russell|last=Goldman|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4091460&page=1|title=Facebook Gives Snapshot of Voter Sentiment|work=ABC News|date=January 5, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref> A poll by [[CBS News]], [[UWIRE]] and ''[[The Chronicle of Higher Education]]'' claimed to illustrate how the "Facebook effect" had affected youthful voters, increasing voting rates, support of political candidates, and general involvement.<ref>{{cite news|first=Michelle|last=Sullivan|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/04/politics/uwire/main4568563.shtml|title=Facebook Effect Mobilizes Youth Vote|work=CBS News|date=November 3, 2008|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref>

The new social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, connected hundreds of millions of people. By 2008, politicians and interest groups were experimenting with systematic use of social media to spread their message.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Carlisle|first1=Juliet E.|last2=Patton|first2=Robert C.|s2cid=154739808|date=January 1, 2013|title=Is Social Media Changing How We Understand Political Engagement? An Analysis of Facebook and the 2008 Presidential Election|jstor=23612065|journal=Political Research Quarterly|volume=66|issue=4|pages=883–895|doi=10.1177/1065912913482758}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Skogerbø|first1=Eli|last2=Krumsvik|first2=Arne H.|s2cid=145344499|date=May 4, 2015|title=Newspapers, Facebook and Twitter|journal=Journalism Practice|volume=9|issue=3|pages=350–366|doi=10.1080/17512786.2014.950471|hdl=10852/41249 |url=https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/10852/41249/3/SkogerboKrumsvik_JP_final.pdf|hdl-access=free}}</ref> By the 2016 election, political advertising to specific groups had become normalized. Facebook offered the most sophisticated targeting and analytics platform.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bossetta|first=Michael|date=March 2018|title=The Digital Architectures of Social Media: Comparing Political Campaigning on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat in the 2016 U.S. Election|journal=Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly|volume=95|issue=2|pages=471–496|doi=10.1177/1077699018763307|arxiv=1904.07333|url=https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/the-digital-architectures-of-social-media-comparing-political-campaigning-on-facebook-twitter-instagram-and-snapchat-in-the-2016-us-election(38ec7c51-c55d-4902-8066-5b3149619644).html|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[ProPublica]] noted that their system enabled advertisers to direct their pitches to almost 2,300 people who expressed interest in the topics of "Jew hater," "How to burn Jews," or, "History of 'why Jews ruin the world".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-enabled-advertisers-to-reach-jew-haters|title=Facebook Enabled Advertisers to Reach 'Jew Haters' – ProPublica|date=September 14, 2017|website=ProPublica|first1=Julia|last1=Angwin|first2=Madeleine|last2=Varner|first3=Ariana|last3=Tobin|access-date=September 14, 2017}}</ref>

Facebook has used several initiatives to encourage its users to register to vote and vote. An experiment in 2012 involved showing Facebook users pictures of their friends who reported that they had voted; users who were shown the pictures were about 2% more likely to report that they had also voted compared to the [[control group]], which was not encouraged to vote.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Brady|first=Henry E.|date=May 11, 2019|title=The Challenge of Big Data and Data Science|journal=Annual Review of Political Science|language=en|volume=22|issue=1|pages=297–323|doi=10.1146/annurev-polisci-090216-023229| doi-access=free|issn=1094-2939}}</ref> In 2020, Facebook announced the goal of helping four million voters register in the US, saying that it had registered 2.5 million by September.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://about.fb.com/news/2020/09/national-voter-registration-day/| title=Celebrating National Voter Registration Day With a Week of Action| website=Facebook| date=September 21, 2020| access-date=September 24, 2020| first=Naomi| last=Gleit | author-link=Naomi Gleit }}</ref>

The [[Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal|Cambridge Analytica data scandal]] offered another example of the perceived attempt to influence elections.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-trump-campaign.html|title=How Trump Consultants Exploited the Facebook Data of Millions|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Matthew|date=March 17, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 17, 2018|last2=Confessore|first2=Nicholas|issn=0362-4331|last3=Cadwalladr|first3=Carole}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article205653624.html|title=Facebook bans Trump-affiliated data firm Cambridge Analytica|work=newsobserver|access-date=March 17, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317234505/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article205653624.html|archive-date=March 17, 2018 }}</ref> ''The Guardian'' claimed that Facebook knew about the security breach for two years, but did nothing to stop it until it became public.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/data-war-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-faceook-nix-bannon-trump|title='I made Steve Bannon's psychological warfare tool': meet the data war whistleblower|last=Cadwalladr|first=Carole|date=March 18, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=March 18, 2018|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Facebook banned political ads to prevent the manipulation of voters in the US's November's election. Industry experts suggested{{clarify|date=April 2022}} that there are several other ways for misinformation to reach voters on social media platforms and blocking political ads will not serve as a proven solution to the problem.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/06/1008192/why-facebooks-political-ad-ban-is-taking-on-the-wrong-problem/|title=Why Facebook's political-ad ban is taking on the wrong problem|access-date=September 6, 2020|website=Technology Review}}</ref>

==== India ====

Ahead of the 2019 general elections in India, Facebook has removed 103 pages, groups and accounts on Facebook and Instagram platforms originating from Pakistan. Facebook said its investigation found a Pakistani military link, along with a mix of real accounts of ISPR employees, and a network of fake accounts created by them that have been operating military fan pages, general interest pages but were posting content about Indian politics while trying to conceal their identity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/india/facebook-takes-down-pakistan-military-backed-pages-targeting-india-ahead-of-ls-polls/articleshow/68668722.cms|title=Facebook takes down Pakistan military backed pages targeting India ahead of LS polls|last=Ananth|first=Venkat|date=April 1, 2019|work=The Economic Times|access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> Owing to the same reasons, Facebook also removed 687 pages and accounts of Congress because of coordinated inauthentic behavior on the platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/facebook-removes-nearly-700-pages-linked-to-congress-ahead-of-polls-2084823.html|title=Facebook Removes Nearly 700 Pages Linked to Congress Ahead of Polls|website=News18|date=April 2019|access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>

=== Culture ===

[[File:SF Pride 2014 - Stierch 7.jpg|thumb|Facebook [[parade float]] in [[San Francisco Pride]] 2014]]

Facebook and Zuckerberg have been the subject of music, books, film and television. The 2010 film ''[[The Social Network]]'', directed by [[David Fincher]] and written by [[Aaron Sorkin]], stars [[Jesse Eisenberg]] as Zuckerberg and went on to win three [[Academy Awards]] and four [[Golden Globes]].

In 2008, [[Collins English Dictionary]] declared "Facebook" as its new Word of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|author=Nicole, Kristen|url=http://mashable.com/2007/12/21/facebook-noun-verb-collins-english-dictionary/|title=I Can So "Facebook" You Now (and be {{sic|nolink=y|gramatically|expected=grammatically}} correct)|work= Mashable|date=December 21, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2010}}</ref> In December 2009, the [[New Oxford American Dictionary]] declared its word of the year to be the verb "[[Friending and following|unfriend]]", defined as "To remove someone as a '[[List of Facebook features|friend]]' on a [[social networking]] site such as Facebook".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/11/unfriend-is-new-oxford-dictionarys-word-of-the-year-/1|title=Unfriend is New Oxford dictionary's Word of the Year|work=USA Today|location=Washington DC|access-date=July 12, 2010|date=November 17, 2009}}</ref>

=== Internet.org ===

In August 2013, Facebook founded [[Internet.org]] in collaboration with six other technology companies to plan and help build affordable Internet access for underdeveloped and developing countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://info.internet.org/en/mission/|title=Internet.org|date=August 25, 2015|website=English|access-date=February 14, 2019}}</ref> The service, called Free Basics, includes various low-bandwidth applications such as [[AccuWeather]], [[BabyCenter]], [[BBC News]], [[ESPN]], and [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]].<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/internet-org-100-million/|title=Facebook's Internet.org has connected almost 100M to the 'internet'|website=TechCrunch|access-date=May 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-free-basics-developing-markets|title='It's digital colonialism': how Facebook's free internet service has failed its users|last=Solon|first=Olivia|date=July 27, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=May 13, 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> There was severe opposition to Internet.org in India, where the service started in partnership with [[Reliance Communications]] in 2015 was banned a year later by the [[Telecom Regulatory Authority of India]] (TRAI). In 2018, Zuckerberg claimed that "Internet.org efforts have helped almost 100 million people get access to the internet who may not have had it otherwise."<ref name=":5" />

=== Environment ===

Facebook announced in 2021 that it will make an effort to stop disinformation about climate change. The company will use [[George Mason University]], [[Yale Program on Climate Change Communication]] and [[the University of Cambridge]] as sources of information. The company will expand its information hub on climate to 16 countries. Users in others countries will be directed to the site of the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] for information.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Salvador |title=Facebook will debunk myths about climate change, stepping further into 'arbiter of truth' role |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/facebook-will-debunk-myths-about-climate-change.html |access-date=February 19, 2021 |agency=CNBC |date=February 18, 2021}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Ambient awareness]]

* [[Corporation tax in the Republic of Ireland]]

* [[Cyberstalking]]

* [[DARPA LifeLog]]

* [[Double Irish]] tax scheme

* [[Facebook malware]]

* [[Six degrees of separation]]

* [[Social graph]]

* [[Timeline of social media]]

== References ==

== Further reading ==

{{cite news|last=Arrington|first=Michael |author-link=Michael Arrington |title=The Age of Facebook |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/25/the-age-of-facebook/ |work=TechCrunch|date=April 25, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2017}}

{{Cite magazine |last=Kirkpatrick|first=David|date=October 6, 2006|title=Why Facebook matters: It's not just for arranging dates. And it's not just another social network. Facebook offers sophisticated tools for maintaining social relationships |url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/10/06/magazines/fortune/fastforward_facebook.fortune/index.htm |magazine=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|access-date=April 9, 2017}}

{{Cite book|url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=Sh0zgX2bj7QC}}|title=Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness|last=Lee|first=Newton|date=September 15, 2012|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-1-4614-5308-6}}

{{Cite book|last=McNamee|first=Roger|title=Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe|year=2019|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-00-831899-4|author-link=Roger McNamee}}

{{cite book|last=Miller|first=Daniel|author-link=Daniel Miller (anthropologist)|year=2011|title=Tales from Facebook|url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=FSRt8xhLF6cC}}|publisher=Polity|isbn=978-0-7456-5209-2}}

{{cite web|last=Muffett|first=Alec|date=October 31, 2014|title=Making Connections to Facebook More Secure|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/protect-the-graph/making-connections-to-facebook-more-secure/1526085754298237/|publisher=Facebook|access-date=December 13, 2016}}

{{cite web|last=Schroeder|first=Stan|date=February 7, 2011|title=Facebook Privacy: 10 Settings Every User Needs to Know|url=http://mashable.com/2011/02/07/facebook-privacy-guide/|publisher=[[Mashable]]|access-date=February 1, 2015}}

== External links ==

{{Sister project links|c=Category:Facebook|n=Category:Facebook|q=Facebook|wikt=Facebook|s=no|b=no|v=no}}

<!-- {{No more links}}

Please be cautious adding more external links.

Wikipedia is not a collection of links and should not be used for advertising.

Excessive or inappropriate links will be removed.

See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details.

If there are already suitable links, propose additions or replacements on

the article's talk page, or submit your link to the relevant category at

the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) and link there using {{Dmoz}}.

-->

{{Official website|https://www.facebook.com/|Official Facebook website|mobile=https://m.facebook.com/}}

{{Navboxes|list1=

}}

[[Category:Facebook| ]]

[[Category:2004 establishments in Massachusetts]]

[[Category:American social networking websites]]

[[Category:American websites]]

[[Category:Android (operating system) software]]

[[Category:BlackBerry software]]

[[Category:Blog hosting services]]

[[Category:Companies' terms of service]]

[[Category:Companies based in Menlo Park, California]]

[[Category:English-language websites]]

[[Category:Image-sharing websites]]

[[Category:Internet properties established in 2004]]

[[Category:IOS software]]

[[Category:Meta Platforms applications]]

[[Category:Multilingual websites]]

[[Category:Online video game services]]

[[Category:Products introduced in 2004]]

[[Category:Proprietary cross-platform software]]

[[Category:Social information processing]]

[[Category:Social media]]

[[Category:Social planning websites]]

[[Category:Student culture]]

[[Category:Symbian software]]

[[Category:Universal Windows Platform apps]]

[[Category:Video game streaming services]]

[[Category:Websites which mirror Wikipedia]]