Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook six years ago from his college dorm room at Harvard University. Since its inception 500 million people have joined the social networking site, spending a whapping 700 billion combined minutes a month clicking through profiles, uploading pictures or searching for friends. One out of every fourteen people around the world has a Facebook account. It's given the most private citizens a public platform to share information.
The 26-year-old Zuckerberg--already a billionaire from the ads that pop up alongside facebook pages--has turned down endless deals to sell Facebook, instead opting to remain CEO. This week Hollywood weighs in on the site's fame by releasing "The Social Network," a fictional account of Facebook's rise to become the second most popular Web site in the world behind Google. The film is supposedly not very flattering and alleges Zuckerberg took the idea for the site from his Harvard classmates.
In an effort to boost his image, Zuckerberg announced a $100 million dollar donation to the Newark Public School System. On the Oprah Winfrey Show, Zuckerberg noted that "every child deserves a good education."
"For the first time, Mark Zuckerberg's going to be a genuine global celebrity," said Davind Kilpatrick, author of "The Facebook Effect." "What kind of celebrity is he going to be? Is the movie going to define his image, or is he going to define it himself?"
Last week, Forbes Magazine named Zuckerberg the 35th richest person in America, amassing a net worth of $ 7 billion and surpassing the head of Apple, Steve Jobs. Zuckerberg has said he does plan to donate to more schools in the future, all while focusing on his social networking giant as it continues to evolve.
Quotes
"I'm really young, so I have to be thinking about the long term, you know, and how this stuff is going to play out. And I think that the way that you achieve the best long-term value is by building real value in the world." --Mark Zuckerberg in a 2006 interview with the NewsHour
"Well, certainly, for social media and social networking, he is the guy, just as Carnegie was for steel or Ford was for autos." --David Kirkpatrick, author of "The Facebook Effect"
Warm Up Questions
1. What is social networking?
2. Name a few social networking Web sites.
3. How does Facebook make money?
4. Who invented Facebook?
Discussion Questions
1. Does it matter to you that Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million to Newark schools? Why do you think he did it?
2. Do you have a Facebook account? If so, when did you begin using the social networking site.
3. How's does Facebook compare to other social networking sites? How is it similar/different?
4. If you were Mark Zuckerberg, what changes would you make to Facebook to ensure it grows beyond 500 million users?
5. Do you have an interest in seeing "The Social Network?" Why or why not?
Additional Resources
Facebook's New Privacy Approach Shifts Control Back to User
Facebook Set to Roll Out New Privacy Controls
