Timeline: Facebook turns seven
The social networking giant today celebrates its seventh birthday and we take a look back at its milestone events.

Facebook only started turning cash-flow positive in 2009, after six years as a company. Although the social network is worth a lot of money, that is based on its potential or, if you prefer, in speculations about its potential to generate revenues.
The turning point for Facebook to go from being a great tool for social interaction to becoming a successful business is finding a way of monetising the 500 million-plus users it has.
Facebook seems to have chosen advertisements and publicity campaigns (the recently announced Facebook Places Deals is just an example), but it risks losing the aura of a friendly, ad-free atmosphere that has made it the preferred environment for social relationships, the base of its success.
Another challenge of tremendous magnitude is the privacy adjustments and restrictions many users have been begging for, and to which Facebook has responded in an only partially satisfactory way.
What it has done so far was unimaginable a few years ago, and even won Mark Zuckerberg the 2010 Time Person of the Year for "connecting more than half a billion people and mapping the social relations among them, for creating a new system of exchanging information and for changing how we live our lives". However, the challenge is to move this forward into a successful business and successful business tool.
The balance is delicate, as Facebook is at risk of losing much of its identity, but on the other hand it needs to start proving its worth.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
"There needs to be an order of magnitude more effort": AI security experts call for focused evaluation of frontier models and agentic systems
News Evaluating the risks of dynamic, evolving AI networks is slow work for cybersecurity analysts
-
Kaseya targets IT efficiency with new AI-powered tools
The cyber security firm unveiled its new Kaseya 365 Ops and Kaseya SIEM offerings at its Connect 2025 event in Las Vegas
-
Meta to pay $725 million in Cambridge Analytica lawsuit settlement
News The settlement closes the long-running lawsuit into how Facebook's owner, Meta, handled the Cambridge Analytica scandal
-
Meta's earnings are 'cause for concern' and 2023 looks even bleaker
Analysis Calls for investor faith in metaverse tech only emphasise the worries that its investment strategy won't pay off
-
Microsoft and Meta announce integration deal between Teams and Workplace
News Features from both business collaboration platforms will be available to users without having to switch apps
-
Facebook is shutting down its controversial facial recognition system
News The move will see more than a billion facial templates removed from Facebook's records amid a push for more private applications of the technology
-
'Changing name to Meat': Industry reacts to Facebook's Meta rebrand
News The rebrand attempts to provide a clearer distinction between Facebook and its umbrella company
-
Facebook's Oversight Board demands more transparency
News Board bashed the social media giant for its preferential treatment of certain high-profile accounts
-
Facebook claims AI managed to reduce hate speech by 50%
News The social media platform has hit back at claims the tech it uses to fight hate speech is inadequate
-
Facebook to hire 10,000 workers across the EU
News The high-skilled jobs drive is a “vote of confidence” in the European tech industry