On what date did Facebook launch at Harvard University in 2004?

Facebook launched at Harvard University on February 4, 2004.

Mark Zuckerberg created the website with fellow Harvard students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. It began as a directory showing students’ names and photographs, initially available only to people with Harvard email addresses.

The service expanded to other American universities later in 2004, then to high schools and eventually to anyone aged 13 or older with a valid email address. The launch date is distinct from Facebook’s incorporation and from its later public debut: the company was incorporated in 2004, while its initial public offering took place in 2012.

A common mix-up is calling the launch date February 14, because that date is associated with Valentine’s Day and other technology milestones. Facebook’s documented launch date was February 4, 2004, making the site more than a decade old before its corporate parent adopted the Meta name.