2004
Turning point
Facebook launched
Facebook launched in 2004, according to the company.
Company
How Meta unfolded
Meta began as Facebook, a social network launched by Mark Zuckerberg and classmates in 2004, and went public on Nasdaq in 2012. It bought Instagram and WhatsApp and renamed itself Meta Platforms in 2021. Its history includes a $5 billion FTC privacy penalty, European fines it is appealing, a federal antitrust case it won at trial in 2025, and 2026 youth safety litigation including a proposed multistate settlement and a $25 billion New Mexico penalty.
2004 to today · 27 dated events · 19 sources
Where it stands now · as of 31 October 2026
Meta is listed on Nasdaq under META and led by Mark Zuckerberg. The FTC's appeal of its antitrust loss is pending, the multistate youth settlement awaits court approval, and Meta has said it intends to appeal the $25 billion New Mexico penalty. Its appeals of the Irish and EU fines were pending as of its October 2026 filing.
Next date
12 November 2026 District court hearing on Meta's challenge to the FTC process to modify its 2020 privacy order
12 November 2026 District court hearing on Meta's challenge to the FTC process to modify its 2020 privacy order
revenue, quarter ended 30 September 2026$64.6bnup from $51.2bn a year earlier
net income in that quarter$9.86bn
legal-related accruals at 30 September 2026$19.9bncurrent and non-current combined
FTC privacy penalty, 2019$5bn
Overview · 2004 to 26 Oct 2026 · click a dot to jump
2004
Jul 2004
Incorporated in Delaware
Facebook was incorporated in Delaware in July 2004, according to its IPO registration statement.
· · · 91 months later
2012
1 Feb 2012
IPO registration filed
Facebook filed its registration statement with the SEC, reporting 845 million monthly active users and 2011 revenue of $3.71 billion.
9 Apr 2012
Deal to acquire Instagram
Facebook announced it would acquire Instagram for about $1 billion in a combination of cash and Facebook shares.
17 May 2012
Turning point
IPO priced at $38
Facebook priced 421,233,615 shares at $38 each, with trading on Nasdaq under FB expected to begin the next day.
· · · 21 months later
2014
19 Feb 2014
Deal to acquire WhatsApp
Facebook announced it would acquire messaging service WhatsApp for about $16 billion in cash and shares, plus $3 billion in restricted stock units for WhatsApp founders and employees.
· · · 49 months later
2018
20 Mar 2018
Privacy class actions begin after data misuse reports
Starting on this date, multiple putative class actions were filed against the company over the misuse of user data by third parties, according to its filings.
· · · 16 months later
2019
24 Jul 2019
Turning point
$5 billion FTC privacy penalty
The FTC announced a $5 billion penalty and new privacy restrictions to settle charges that Facebook violated a 2012 FTC order by deceiving users about their ability to control the privacy of their personal information.
24 Jul 2019
$100 million SEC settlement
The SEC charged Facebook with making misleading disclosures about the risk of misuse of user data. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Facebook agreed to a final judgment ordering a $100 million penalty.
· · · 17 months later
2020
9 Dec 2020
FTC sues over Instagram and WhatsApp deals
The FTC sued Facebook, alleging that it was illegally maintaining a personal social networking monopoly, in part by acquiring Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.
2021
28 Oct 2021
Company renamed Meta
Facebook Inc. said it was changing its company name to Meta while keeping the Facebook app name.
· · · 19 months later
2023
22 May 2023
Irish regulator fines Meta 1.2 billion euros
Ireland's Data Protection Commission announced a 1.2 billion euro fine on Meta Ireland, finding that its transfers of personal data from the EU to the US infringed the GDPR. Meta said in its filings that it is appealing and that the decision is subject to a stay from the Irish High Court.
24 Oct 2023
States sue over harms to young users
A bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general, co-led by California, sued Meta in federal court in Northern California, alleging its platforms harmed young people's mental health.
2024
30 Jul 2024
$1.4 billion Texas biometric settlement
The Texas attorney general announced a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over what his office called the unauthorized capture of personal biometric data.
14 Nov 2024
EU antitrust fine over Facebook Marketplace
The European Commission fined Meta 797.72 million euros for tying Facebook Marketplace to Facebook and imposing unfair trading conditions on rival classified ad services.
2025
28 Jan 2025
Meta appeals the Marketplace fine
Meta appealed the European Commission's Facebook Marketplace decision, according to its quarterly filing.
23 Apr 2025
Digital Markets Act fine
The European Commission found that Meta breached the Digital Markets Act obligation to offer users a choice of a service using less personal data, and fined it 200 million euros.
4 Jul 2025
Meta appeals the Digital Markets Act fine
Meta appealed the European Commission's Digital Markets Act decision, according to its quarterly filing, which said further changes to its ad model could be required during the appeal.
18 Nov 2025
Turning point
Judge rules for Meta in FTC antitrust case
After a trial that ended in May 2025, US District Judge James Boasberg entered judgment for Meta in the FTC antitrust case, rejecting the claim that it holds a monopoly in social networking.
2026
20 Jan 2026
FTC files notice of appeal
The FTC filed a notice of appeal of the antitrust ruling, according to Meta's quarterly filing.
24 Mar 2026
New Mexico jury orders $375 million penalty
In the first state attorney general youth case to reach trial, a jury in New Mexico's First Judicial District Court returned a verdict against Meta and ordered a civil penalty of $375 million, according to Meta's filing.
6 Aug 2026
New Mexico court finds public nuisance
The New Mexico court found that Meta's platforms constitute a public nuisance and awarded about $567 million in abatement costs plus injunctive relief. Meta moved to vacate the judgments on 8 September 2026 and the court stayed the judgment.
26 Aug 2026
Turning point
Proposed settlement with attorneys general over youth harms
California's attorney general, part of a coalition of 51 attorneys general, announced a proposed settlement under which Meta would pay up to $17 billion over ten years and change Instagram and Facebook features for young users, subject to court approval. Meta's quarterly filing described payments of up to about $18.59 billion under the agreement, part of them contingent.
19 Oct 2026
Board approves non-voting Class C shares
Meta's board approved a recapitalization creating non-voting Class C common stock and declared a one-time dividend of one Class C share for each Class A and Class B share, effective with the restated charter on 19 January 2027. Shareholders holding the required votes approved it by written consent the next day.
21 Oct 2026
Third quarter 2026 results
Meta reported third quarter revenue of $64.60 billion, up 26 percent, and net income of $9.86 billion. Costs included a $9.89 billion charge for the attorneys general agreement, and legal-related accruals totalled about $19.9 billion at 30 September 2026.
21 Oct 2026
$25 billion civil penalty in New Mexico case
After a jury found on 25 September 2026 that Meta committed more than 43 million violations of the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act, in an attorney general case expanded to include content moderation claims, the court imposed a $25 billion civil penalty with 15 percent post-judgment interest. Meta said it intends to appeal.
26 Oct 2026
Mandatory convertible preferred offering
Meta agreed to sell 250 million depositary shares representing 6.50 percent mandatory convertible preferred stock and entered forward sale agreements covering 40 million Class A shares.
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Sources
19 records, ranked by type- 1Subject's own statement31 Oct 2026Company infoMeta · meta.com
- 2Subject's own statement1 Feb 2012Facebook, Inc. Form S-1 registration statementFacebook, Inc., filed with the SEC · sec.gov
- 3Subject's own statement9 Apr 2012Facebook to Acquire InstagramMeta · about.fb.com
- 4Subject's own statement17 May 2012Facebook Announces Pricing of Initial Public OfferingMeta · about.fb.com
- 5Subject's own statement19 Feb 2014Facebook to Acquire WhatsAppMeta · about.fb.com
- 6Official record24 Jul 2019FTC Imposes $5 Billion Penalty and Sweeping New Privacy Restrictions on FacebookUS Federal Trade Commission · ftc.gov
- 7Official record24 Jul 2019Facebook to Pay $100 Million for Misleading Investors About the Risks It Faced From Misuse of User DataUS Securities and Exchange Commission · sec.gov
- 8Official record9 Dec 2020FTC Sues Facebook for Illegal MonopolizationUS Federal Trade Commission · ftc.gov
- 9Subject's own statement28 Oct 2021Introducing Meta: A Social Technology CompanyMeta · about.fb.com
- 10Official record22 May 2023Data Protection Commission announces conclusion of inquiry into Meta IrelandData Protection Commission (Ireland) · dataprotection.ie
- 11Government document24 Oct 2023Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Against Meta Over Harms to Youth Mental HealthCalifornia Attorney General · oag.ca.gov
- 12Government document30 Jul 2024Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures $1.4 Billion Settlement with Meta Over Its Unauthorized Capture of Personal Biometric DataTexas Attorney General · texasattorneygeneral.gov
- 13Official record14 Nov 2024Commission fines Meta EUR 797.72 million over abusive practices benefitting Facebook MarketplaceEuropean Commission · ec.europa.eu
- 14Official record23 Apr 2025Commission finds Apple and Meta in breach of the Digital Markets ActEuropean Commission · ec.europa.eu
- 15Subject's own statement22 Oct 2026Meta Platforms, Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 September 2026Meta Platforms, Inc., filed with the SEC · sec.gov
- 16News report20 Jan 2026FTC says it will appeal Meta antitrust decisionABC News (Associated Press) · abcnews.go.com
- 17Government document26 Aug 2026Attorney General Bonta Secures Transformative $17 Billion Settlement with Meta, Proposed Settlement Includes Fundamental Changes to Instagram and FacebookCalifornia Attorney General · oag.ca.gov
- 18Subject's own statement21 Oct 2026Meta Platforms, Inc. Form 8-K, recapitalization and Class C common stockMeta Platforms, Inc., filed with the SEC · sec.gov
- 19Subject's own statement29 Oct 2026Meta Platforms, Inc. Form 8-K, mandatory convertible preferred stock and forward sale agreementsMeta Platforms, Inc., filed with the SEC · sec.gov
Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.