Meta Platforms owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp after changing its name from Facebook in 2021.
Facebook announced the corporate name change to Meta Platforms in October 2021. The Facebook social network kept its name, while Meta became the parent company overseeing Facebook and other major products, including Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
The new name reflected chief executive Mark Zuckerberg’s emphasis on the “metaverse,” a proposed collection of immersive digital worlds and social experiences. Meta’s Reality Labs division develops virtual- and augmented-reality hardware and software, while the company’s advertising business remains a major source of revenue.
The rebranding can cause a common mix-up: Meta is the corporation, whereas Facebook is one of its products. Meta also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, but these services retain separate consumer brands and different histories.