Facebook turns 22: From Harvard board to Artificial Intelligence giant

This February 4, 2026, the digital world celebrates a key date: Facebook turns 22 years old. What was born in a Harvard University dormitory as TheFacebookled by a young Mark Zuckerberg, is today the most influential social network on the planet, having survived scandals, generational changes and radical technological transformations.

THE ORIGIN: REAL IDENTITY AND UNIVERSITY EXCLUSIVITY

Unlike the chaotic profiles of the MySpace era, Facebook opted in 2004 for real identity and scarcity. At first, only students with university emails could access it. This exclusivity generated massive desire that exploded in 2006, when the platform opened to the general public and launched the revolutionary (although then criticized) News Feed.

THE EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE HISTORY OF THE INTERNET

The evolution of Facebook has not only been social, but also deeply commercial and strategic:

• 2009 – The “Like” button: Made it possible to map user preferences with a precision never seen before, attracting advertisers through segmentation.
• 2012 and 2014 – Key acquisitions: With the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp, Meta consolidated an almost impregnable digital ecosystem.
• 2021 – The turn to the Metaverse: The company changed its name to Meta, betting on virtual reality, although it faced financial challenges and privacy changes from Apple.

CRISIS AND RESURGENCE: THE PATH TOWARDS AI

The road has not been without turbulence. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 to fines from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Meta has had to redefine its relationship with user privacy.

However, 2026 finds the company in a position of renewed strength. After internal adjustments and a cost reduction that began in 2023, the company has made a strategic shift towards Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thanks to the promotion of open models like Llama, Meta has positioned itself as a central player in the new technological ecosystem.

A DECISIVE LEGAL TRIUMPH

A recent turning point occurred in November 2025, when Judge James Boasberg dismissed monopoly allegations against Meta. The ruling considered that competition from platforms such as TikTok and YouTube demonstrates that the social media market is dynamic and open, releasing pressure on Zuckerberg’s company.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR META IN 2026?

At 22 years old, Facebook has ceased to be a simple social network to become the pillar of a conglomerate that dominates global communication and leads the AI ​​race. The question now is how it will integrate these tools into the daily lives of its more than 3 billion active users.