Meta Platforms is the company that operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and changed its corporate name in 2021.
The company was founded as Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes in 2004. It became a major global technology company through social networking, digital advertising, and acquisitions.
Facebook, Inc. announced the name Meta Platforms in October 2021. The rebrand reflected the company's stated interest in building the metaverse, while Facebook remained the name of its flagship social network.
Meta is often confused with Facebook because the Facebook service kept its name. Meta's other major services include Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Its market value places it among the largest publicly traded companies, though rankings vary over time.