Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American media magnate

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American media magnate, internet entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder, CEO, and controlling shareholder of Facebook, the world's largest social media platform. He also co-founded and is a board member of several other companies, including Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Zuckerberg was born in White Plains, New York, and raised in nearby Dobbs Ferry. He is the son of Karen, a psychiatrist, and Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist. He has three sisters: Randi, Donna, and Arielle. Zuckerberg attended Harvard University, where he launched the initial version of Facebook in February 2004, along with his college roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. The platform was initially limited to Harvard students but quickly expanded to other Ivy League universities and later to all post-secondary institutions in the United States and Canada.

The rapid growth of Facebook eventually led to its opening to the general public in 2006, and Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on his company full-time. Under his leadership, Facebook grew to become a global social media giant with billions of users. The company went public in 2012, and Zuckerberg's net worth grew substantially, making him one of the youngest self-made billionaires in history.

Throughout his career, Zuckerberg has faced numerous challenges and controversies, including issues with user privacy, the spread of misinformation, and the platform's role in political campaigns and events such as the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election and the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Despite these challenges, Facebook has continued to expand and diversify, with the acquisitions of companies like Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.

In 2017, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook shares to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a charitable foundation focusing on education, health, and scientific research. This commitment is valued at approximately $45 billion.

Zuckerberg is also known for his involvement in various philanthropic efforts. In 2010, he signed The Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals to donate a significant portion of their wealth to charitable causes. He has made substantial donations to educational institutions, including a $100 million pledge to the Newark Public Schools system in New Jersey and a $1.5 billion gift to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to support education and health initiatives.

In 2021, Zuckerberg announced the rebranding of Facebook to Meta Platforms, Inc., reflecting a shift in the company's focus towards the development of the metaverse, a shared virtual reality space that integrates social media, entertainment, and other online activities.

Mark Zuckerberg's personal life includes his marriage to Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and philanthropist, with whom he has two daughters, Maxima and August. The couple has been open about their personal challenges with infertility and have used their platform to advocate for reproductive and family planning rights.

Zuckerberg is often recognized for his influence in the tech industry and has been featured on various lists, including Time's 100 Most Influential People and Forbes's list of the world's wealthiest individuals. His story was also the subject of the 2010 film "The Social Network," which depicted the founding of Facebook and the resulting lawsuits and personal conflicts.