Facebook (now part of Meta Platforms) is the world's largest social networking site, used all around the world. It can be downloaded on the Google Play Store billions of times, which shows its popularity. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 and has grown into one of the most valuable companies in the world.
There has been a long-standing claim that Divya Narendra is the "real owner" of Facebook. This is not true. Narendra is a co-founder of ConnectU, a rival social network, and he sued Zuckerberg in 2004, claiming that Zuckerberg stole the idea. The lawsuit was settled in 2008 for $65 million. However, Facebook was never owned by Divya Narendra.
This article covers the truth about Facebook's ownership, the ConnectU lawsuit, Facebook's key features, and how the platform grew into the giant it is today.
Facebook At a Glance
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Mark Zuckerberg (with Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes) |
| Parent Company | Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc.) |
| CEO | Mark Zuckerberg |
| Headquarters | Menlo Park, California, USA |
| Monthly Active Users | 3+ billion |
| Acquired Instagram | 2012, for $1 billion |
| Acquired WhatsApp | 2014, for $19 billion |
| Friend Limit | 5,000 |
Who Really Owns Facebook?
Facebook is owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc.), a publicly traded company. Mark Zuckerberg is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO. He holds the majority of voting shares, which gives him control over the company.
Divya Narendra is NOT the owner of Facebook. He is a co-founder of ConnectU, a rival social network started at Harvard. In 2004, Narendra and the Winklevoss twins (Cameron and Tyler) sued Zuckerberg, claiming he had stolen their idea for a social networking site. The case was settled in 2008 for $65 million in cash and stock.
The court did not rule that Zuckerberg stole the idea. The parties reached a private settlement. Zuckerberg has always maintained that he built Facebook independently.
The ConnectU Lawsuit
In 2003, Divya Narendra, Cameron Winklevoss, and Tyler Winklevoss were working on a social network called HarvardConnection (later renamed ConnectU). They hired Mark Zuckerberg to help code the site. Instead, Zuckerberg launched thefacebook.com in February 2004 — which later became Facebook.
The Winklevoss twins and Narendra sued Zuckerberg in 2004. In 2008, they reached a settlement worth $65 million — $20 million in cash and $45 million in Facebook stock. They later tried to reopen the case, claiming Facebook had undervalued the stock, but the courts ruled against them.
So the answer to "Who is the real owner of Facebook?" is: Mark Zuckerberg and Meta Platforms, Inc. Divya Narendra is not the owner — he is one of the people who sued Zuckerberg and settled out of court.
How to Create a Facebook Account on Mobile
- Search for Facebook on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Install the Facebook app from the official store.
- Open the app and tap "Create New Account."
- Fill in the required fields (name, mobile number, password, date of birth, gender).
- Verify your mobile number with the OTP.
- Log in and start using your account.
What Can You Do on Facebook?
- Go live
- Upload photos and videos
- Send friend requests
- Chat with friends
- Send pictures and videos
- Create your own Facebook page
- Use the emoji reactions (Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, Angry)
- Make video calls
- Use Facebook Messenger for chatting, voice, and video calls
- Search for anything on Facebook, like Google
- Earn money through Facebook Watch (if eligible)
- Protect your profile picture using Profile Picture Guard (discontinued now)
How to Earn Money with Facebook Watch
Facebook Watch is Facebook's video-on-demand service, similar to YouTube. To earn money from Facebook Watch:
- Create a Facebook account.
- Create a Facebook page.
- Grow your page to at least 1,000 followers (or more, depending on eligibility).
- Post original videos that meet Facebook's monetisation policies.
- Join the Facebook Partner Programme to start earning from ads.
Facebook Watch is one of the best ways to earn money on Facebook — but it requires consistent posting and a growing audience.
Key Facts About Facebook
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Mark Zuckerberg |
| Parent Company | Meta Platforms, Inc. |
| ConnectU Settlement | $65 million (2008) |
| Instagram Acquisition | 2012, for $1 billion |
| WhatsApp Acquisition | 2014, for $19 billion |
| Monthly Active Users | 3+ billion |
| Friend Limit | 5,000 |
| Dislike Button | Not available (reactions instead) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Facebook
- Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004.
- It is now owned by Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Divya Narendra is NOT the owner of Facebook — he co-founded the rival site ConnectU.
- The ConnectU lawsuit was settled in 2008 for $65 million.
- Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion.
- Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion.
- Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users.
- The friend limit on Facebook is 5,000.
- Facebook does not have a dislike button.
- Mark Zuckerberg became a billionaire at 23.
- Facebook Watch is Facebook's video-on-demand service, similar to YouTube.
- You can earn money from Facebook Watch if you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Facebook is available in dozens of languages worldwide.
Facebook on Social Media
| Official Website | facebook.com |
| X (Twitter) | |
| YouTube |
What Other Reads?
- What Is 5G Network Technology?
- What Is the Monthly Income of Technical Guruji?
- What Is the Monthly Payment of Amit Bhadana?
- What Is the Monthly Payment of Bhuvan Bam?
- How to Stay Safe Online?
- How Did Google Start?
