7/31/2020
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`A brief history of Facebook | Technology | The Guardian
`
`A brief history of Facebook
`Sarah Phillips reports on the development of Facebook, from a Harvard socialnetworking
`website to a global internet phenomenon
`Sarah Phillips
`Wed 25 Jul 2007 05 29 EDT
`https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
`
`1/5
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1016
`Page 1
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`

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`A brief history of Facebook | Technology | The Guardian
`
`7/31/2020
`Wed 25 Jul 2007 05.29 EDT
`Mark Zuckerberg, 23, founded Facebook while studying psychology at Harvard University. A keen
`computer programmer, Mr Zuckerberg had already developed a number of social-networking
`websites for fellow students, including Coursematch, which allowed users to view people taking
`their degree, and Facemash, where you could rate people's attractiveness.
`
`In February 2004 Mr Zuckerberg launched "The facebook", as it was originally known; the name
`taken from the sheets of paper distributed to freshmen, profiling students and staff. Within 24
`hours, 1,200 Harvard students had signed up, and after one month, over half of the
`undergraduate population had a profile.
`
`The network was promptly extended to other Boston universities, the Ivy League and eventually
`all US universities. It became Facebook.com in August 2005 after the address was purchased for
`$200,000. US high schools could sign up from September 2005, then it began to spread
`worldwide, reaching UK universities the following month.
`
`As of September 2006, the network was extended beyond educational institutions to anyone with
`a registered email address. The site remains free to join, and makes a profit through advertising
`revenue. Yahoo and Google are among companies which have expressed interest in a buy-out,
`with rumoured figures of around $2bn (£975m) being discussed. Mr Zuckerberg has so far refused
`to sell.
`
`The site's features have continued to develop during 2007. Users can now give gifts to friends,
`post free classified advertisements and even develop their own applications - graffiti and Scrabble
`are particularly popular.
`
`This month the company announced that the number of registered users had reached 30 million,
`making it the largest social-networking site with an education focus.
`
`Earlier in the year there were rumours that Prince William had registered, but it was later revealed
`to be a mere impostor. The MP David Miliband, the radio DJ Jo Whiley, the actor Orlando Bloom,
`the artist Tracey Emin and the founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, are among confirmed high-
`profile members.
`
`This month officials banned a flash-mob-style water fight in Hyde Park, organised through
`Facebook, due to public safety fears. And there was further controversy at Oxford as students
`became aware that university authorities were checking their Facebook profiles.
`
`The legal case against Facebook dates back to September 2004, when Divya Narendra, and the
`brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who founded the social-networking site ConnectU,
`accused Mr Zuckerberg of copying their ideas and coding. Mr Zuckerberg had worked as a
`computer programmer for them when they were all at Harvard before Facebook was created.
`
`The case was dismissed due to a technicality in March 2007 but without a ruling.
`America is at a crossroads ...
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`
`https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
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`2/5
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1016
`Page 2
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`7/31/2020
`A brief history of Facebook | Technology | The Guardian
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`https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
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`3/5
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1016
`Page 3
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`7/31/2020
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`https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
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`4/5
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1016
`Page 4
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`7/31/2020
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`Topics
`Technology
`Digital media
`Facebook
`Harvard University
`
`https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
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`5/5
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`Supercell
`Exhibit 1016
`Page 5
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