Facebook, Inc.

Formerly the second-largest digital advertising platform globally, now operating as Meta Platforms, Inc., with unmatched social audience reach and first-party data targeting capabilities

Facebook, Inc., now rebranded and operating as Meta Platforms, Inc. since October 28, 2021, was the corporate entity behind the world's most widely used social network and one of the most dominant digital advertising platforms in history. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, the company grew from a college networking site into a global technology conglomerate encompassing Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, collectively reaching billions of users worldwide. Its advertising platform became the second-largest digital ad business globally, trailing only Google, offering unparalleled audience targeting capabilities driven by rich first-party social data. At its peak as Facebook, Inc., the company offered advertisers a suite of tools including the Facebook Ads Manager, Audience Network, Pixel tracking, Custom Audiences, and Lookalike Audiences — enabling hyper-targeted campaigns across its family of apps. Its self-serve advertising model democratized digital advertising for businesses of all sizes, from small local merchants to Fortune 500 brands, making it a cornerstone of the modern AdTech ecosystem. The company generated tens of billions of dollars in annual advertising revenue, with ad sales accounting for the vast majority of its income. The rebrand to Meta Platforms, Inc. reflected a strategic pivot toward the metaverse and immersive computing, signaling a broader ambition beyond social networking. While the Facebook, Inc. corporate entity no longer exists under that name, its advertising infrastructure, products, and market position live on under Meta, which continues to be a dominant force in digital advertising, social media, and emerging technologies including virtual and augmented reality.