Physical Address
Uttara Sector 7, Road 7, House 1, Dhaka
The story of Facebook’s creation is one of vision, ambition, and betrayal. It is a tale of a young genius who built a global empire but left behind a trail of legal disputes, broken friendships, and accusations of deception. What started as a simple college networking idea at Harvard would grow into a multibillion-dollar company, but not without controversy.
I. The Birth of an Idea: Facemash and the Spark of Facebook (2003-2004)
In the fall of 2003, Mark Zuckerberg, a brilliant but socially awkward sophomore at Harvard, sat in his dorm room at Kirkland House, writing lines of code. Frustrated by the exclusivity and elitism of Harvard’s social circles, he created Facemash, a website that allowed students to compare the attractiveness of their peers using stolen photos from Harvard’s online directories.
Facemash was a viral success—but also a disaster. Within hours, Harvard’s administration shut it down, citing privacy violations and ethical concerns. Zuckerberg faced disciplinary action, but something crucial had happened: he had proven that students craved a digital space where they could connect.
Still fascinated by the idea of social networking, Zuckerberg started working on something bigger. In January 2004, he began developing TheFacebook, a platform designed to connect Harvard students through personal profiles, friend lists, and status updates. But while he was coding his groundbreaking project, three other students—Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra—believed he was working on something for them.
II. The Winklevoss Twins: The First Betrayal
A few months before launching TheFacebook, Zuckerberg had been approached by the Winklevoss twins and their business partner, Divya Narendra. They had an idea for an elite Harvard-only social network called Harvard Connection (later ConnectU). Believing that Zuckerberg was the best person to bring their vision to life, they enlisted his help to write the code.
Zuckerberg agreed to work with them but repeatedly stalled their progress. He delayed meetings, ignored emails, and told them he was too busy with schoolwork. Meanwhile, he was using their concept as inspiration to build his own project—one he never intended to share with them.
On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook from his dorm room. The site took off like wildfire across campus, expanding to other Ivy League schools within months. The Winklevoss twins were blindsided. They realized that Zuckerberg had strung them along while secretly building a competing platform. Furious, they sued him for intellectual property theft, claiming that he had stolen their idea.
The legal battle between Zuckerberg and the Winklevoss twins lasted for years. Eventually, in 2008, the twins settled for $65 million, though they later argued that they had been underpaid since Facebook’s value skyrocketed beyond their expectations.
But this was just the first betrayal. The most personal one was yet to come.
III. Eduardo Saverin: The Best Friend Cut Out
While Zuckerberg was the mastermind behind Facebook’s code, it was Eduardo Saverin, his close friend and Harvard roommate, who provided the seed money for the project. In the early days, Saverin invested $1,000 to cover server costs and later put in $18,000 to help Facebook expand. As the co-founder and CFO, Saverin owned 34% of the company and was responsible for securing advertising deals.
However, as Facebook grew, tensions between Saverin and Zuckerberg intensified. Saverin, who was still focused on his studies, was slow to adapt to the fast-paced tech world. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg was increasingly influenced by Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster, who had a grand vision for Facebook’s future. Parker, known for his rebellious and aggressive business tactics, saw Saverin as an obstacle to Facebook’s expansion.
In 2005, Zuckerberg and Parker took drastic action. They restructured Facebook’s corporate setup, issuing new shares that diluted Saverin’s ownership from 34% to less than 10%—without his knowledge. Saverin was effectively pushed out of the company.
When Saverin found out, he was devastated and furious. He immediately filed a lawsuit against Facebook, accusing Zuckerberg of betraying him. The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, and Saverin’s name was restored as a Facebook co-founder. However, their friendship was permanently shattered.
IV. Facebook’s Meteoric Rise and the Cost of Success
Despite these betrayals, Facebook continued to grow at an unprecedented rate. By 2006, it expanded beyond universities and became open to the public. Major investors, including Peter Thiel and Accel Partners, poured millions into the company.
In 2012, Facebook went public, with its IPO valued at $104 billion, making Zuckerberg one of the youngest billionaires in history. He controlled the company with an iron grip, ensuring that no one—not the Winklevoss twins, not Saverin, not even powerful investors—could challenge his authority.
Facebook became a social media giant, acquiring Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus VR, transforming into an empire that changed how people connect online. But behind its success was a history of deception, lawsuits, and friendships torn apart.
V. Conclusion: Genius or Betrayer?
Mark Zuckerberg’s journey from a Harvard dorm room to the CEO of a global tech empire is a story of brilliance and ruthlessness. His vision and technical skills turned Facebook into an internet powerhouse, but his willingness to betray friends and colleagues to maintain control painted him as a controversial figure.
- The Winklevoss twins saw their idea stolen and had to settle in court.
- Eduardo Saverin, his best friend, was cast aside and forced into a legal battle.
- Sean Parker, who helped Zuckerberg push out Saverin, was later ousted himself after a drug scandal.
Was Zuckerberg a genius who outplayed everyone, or a ruthless businessman who built his empire on deception?
The answer depends on how you define success.
