The narrative that Mark Zuckerberg “stole” Facebook is one that has been popularized by media portrayals, particularly the 2010 film “The Social Network.” However, it’s essential to distinguish between dramatic storytelling in films and the factual history.
How Did Mark Zuckerberg Steal Facebook
Here’s a more nuanced examination of the early days of Facebook:
The Origin of Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg launched “The Facebook” in February 2004 from his Harvard dorm room. Initially designed as a Harvard-only social network, its popularity quickly led to its expansion to other Ivy League schools and eventually universities across the United States.
The Winklevoss Twins and Divya Narendra
While Zuckerberg was developing Facebook, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, along with Divya Narendra, were working on a Harvard-based social network called “HarvardConnection” (later renamed “ConnectU”). The Winklevosses and Narendra approached Zuckerberg to help with the coding for their project in late 2003. Zuckerberg agreed but then delayed the work on their project, all while actively developing his own project, “The Facebook.”
After the launch of Facebook, the Winklevosses and Narendra accused Zuckerberg of misleading them, delaying their project intentionally, and using knowledge from their project to create Facebook. They filed a lawsuit in 2004.
The Legal Battles
The Winklevoss twins and Narendra sued Zuckerberg for breach of contract, claiming he stole their idea. In 2008, after years of legal battles, Facebook and the Winklevosses reached a settlement where the Winklevosses and Narendra received a mix of cash and Facebook stock valued at $65 million at the time.
It’s worth noting that while the Winklevosses claimed that Zuckerberg stole their idea, the legal argument was more about the breach of an implied contract rather than intellectual property theft. Ideas themselves aren’t generally protected by intellectual property laws; specific expressions of those ideas (like code) are.
Eduardo Saverin
Another critical player in the early days of Facebook was Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg’s friend and the company’s initial CFO and business manager. As Facebook grew and received outside investments, Saverin’s stake in the company was diluted. This led to tensions, and Saverin eventually sued Facebook and Zuckerberg. They reached a settlement in which Saverin retained a stake in the company and received co-founder status.
Conclusions
It’s inaccurate to say Mark Zuckerberg “stole” Facebook. However, the early days were characterized by disputes over the platform’s origin, leading to legal battles and settlements. The story is a complex mix of collaboration, competition, and controversy, and any depiction should be approached with a critical perspective, especially when relying on fictionalized accounts.
Remember always to be critical of media narratives and seek out diverse sources to get a fuller understanding of any topic.
