Facebook Timeline

A timeline of Facebook's changes and updates over the years.

Bar Graph
2012
- JAN
  - Facebook launched Facebook Actions feature.
  - Stories published from an app using Feed dialog or Graph API will now show in the app's tab on the user's timeline.
  - User clicks on a shortened URL e.g. a bit.ly URL can now record and report the underlying URL.
  - The Request for the 2.0 Efficient migration was enabled for all apps over the 1st few days of Jan.
  - On January15th the 2.0 Efficient migration setting was set to enabled for all apps.
  - Facebook launches in-app currency offers.
  - Facebook announces that HTTP ETags in Graph API allows for more efficient apps.
  - On January 18th Open Graph went live.
  - For iOS and Android App Developers, Single-Sign-On (SSO) provides a quick way for users to Register, Login, and enable social features in your mobile app.
  - Facebook announces new ways to drive greater discovery and engagement with games on Facebook.
  - Facebook is testing the addition of a prominent link to app requests on the homepage, a games-only activity feed and changes to the live ticker.
  - New music feature lets you listen along with any of your friends who are currently listening to music.
  - New timeline apps are now available from Foodspotting, Foodily, Ticketmaster, Pinterest, Rotten Tomatoes, Pose, Kobo, Gogobot, TripAdvisor, and others.
  - Facebook and marketing agency Definition 6 release Timeline Movie Maker.
  - Facebook announces that Timeline will be mandatory for all users by end of February, 2012.
  - Facebook partners with www.moo.com to let users create Timeline-inspired business cards.
  - Facebook make connecting with significant to celebrities and other influencers using Timeline as part of their 2012 outreach strategy.
  - Facebook announces they will be applying for IPO Feb. 1st, 2012.
  - Facebook grants permission to users to opt out of the ticker.
  - Facebook “Pages” grows to 7.8 million Likes.
  - Top 10 FB Fan leads in January: Facebook, Texas HoldEm Poker, Eminem, YouTube, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Shakira, MJ, Family Man and Harry Potter.
  - Facebook is testing a games-only activity feed that groups all friends’ game stories in one place.
  - Facebook is also considering scrapping the games-only ticker that appears alongside canvas apps.
  - Facebook is testing a new way to display photos that puts captions and comments to the right of the image rather than below.
  - Consumers can now earn Facebook Credits for purchases they make at brick and mortar locations by signing up for Plink.
- FEB
- MAR
- APR
- MAY
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
- SEP
- OCT
- NOV
- DEC
2011
- JAN
  - The Suggest to Friends link from Pages is removed.
  - Users can now access the site via a HTTP Secure (HTTPS) connection.
  - A "Buy With Friends" feature is tested.
  - "Sponsored Stories" launch.
  - Real-time analytics now appear in Facebook's Insights program.
  - Users are encouraged to list their current city.
- FEB
  - The Like and Recommend button on third-party websites now publish a full news feed story.
  - The default number of tabs on the left hand side of Pages increased from six to eight.
  - Microsoft announces an expanded implementation of Facebook plugins within Bing's search results, which now display data on Likes
  - Microsoft releases a new version of its Bing Bar downloadable browser tool bar that includes several Facebook capabilities.
  - The instant typeahead search results in the drop-down beneath the Facebook search bar are split into profiles, Pages, apps, groups, Events, and Questions.
  - Ads begin appearing in the new photo album design.
  - Self-serve advertisers can now publish sponsored stories.
  - Page administrators can select specific landing tabs for ads.
- MAR
  - Personal user profiles can now be converted into official business Pages.
  - Google announces the +1 button.
  - Facebook overhauls Questions.
  - A "Related Adverts" ad unit is tested.
  - "Related Stories" launch.
  - The ability to merge and unmerge a Place and a Page is revoked.
  - Users are urged to subscribe to Deals updates.
  - Users can now tag friends, Pages, apps, Groups, and Events in comments to news feed stories and wall posts to create linked mentions.
  - Places and Deals metrics are added to Page insights for admins.
  - In the self-serve ad tool, replacing Like keyword targeting with broad category is tested.
  - A new version of Insights for Websites for launches.
  - Users now see a "Suggest Edits" for Places Pages.
  - The embeddable Comments Box social plugin receives a major update.
- APR
  - Facebook hit 677 million users worldwide.
  - Several new self-serve ad targeting options are tested.
  - Only Page admins can send suggestions, and they can only suggest their own Page.
  - Three new types of Sponsored Stories are launched: Page Post Like Story; App Used and Game Played Stories; and Domain Story.
  - Page admins can now tell the percentage of Post Likes and comments that came through a mobile device.
  - Local Deals launch to San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta and San Diego.
  - Groups can now post questions and polls for only members to weigh in on.
  - Advertisers can include or exclude current fans, app users, or Event attendees in ads targeted to "Friends of Connections".
  - Page admins can sort Likse into people, Pages, admins and banned users.
  - A Like button change is tested that shows users a full preview of the story that will be published.Page admins are asked to "Confirm Your Page Category".
  - A Profile to Business Page Migration Appeal is introduced.
- MAY
  - Page owners can no longer apply to have commenting removed from Pages.
  - Facebook adds "Subscribe via RSS" to Pages.
  - Users can recommend Pages and Places to friends, via the "Recommend This Place" feature.
  - Page administrators can target individual wall posts to subsets of viewers.
  - A new Pages dashboard launches.
  - Marketers can require a purchase for entry, and target those below age 18.
  - Bing search results include content your friends have liked, and links to wall posts.
  - "Subscribe" buttons are added to the Comments Box Social Plugin.
  - Places functionality is available on some Pages representing physical spaces.
  - Promotions, contests, and sweepstakes may no longer use the Like button, comments, or other Facebook features as voting mechanisms.
  - A new overview showing complete details of all of the Pages an admin manages is introduced.
  - Users can tag photos with the names of Pages.
  - The "Share" button can now post content to Facebook Groups or a specific friend's wall.
  - A new Ads Manager is introduced.
  - Old groups are eliminated and migrated to the new Groups feature.
  - Advertisers can access a creative library of their previous ads.
- JUN
  - Facebook hired George Hotz.
  - Facebook Credits can now be purchased in 32 additional currencies.
  - Facebook released v3.4.3 of its Facebook for iPhone native mobile app.
  - Consumer Watchdog filed a 28-page complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against Facebook.
  - Users can select to sort comment reels in the comments box plug-in.
  - Facebook Deals expands to three more cities: Charlotte, St. Louis and Minneapolis.
  - Facebook has partnered with American Express.
  - Facebook was granted a patent for giving gifts and displaying assets in a social network environment.
  - DLA Piper confirms that it has stopped representing Paul Ceglia in his lawsuit against Facebook.
  - Facebook launched the Graph API Explorer and a new version of the Developer app.
  - Starting September 22nd, apps will require the manage_pages permission to access the FQL page_admin table.
  - Facebook for Android v1.6 lets users browse Page walls, upload videos to Facebook, and see more types of stories.
  - New report shows Facebook will be the top online display advertiser with $2.19 billion in revenue.
  - Facebook tests new home page design that allows news feed to be scrolled independently of the rest of the page.
  - Reed Hastings joins Facebook's board of directors.
  - Facebook forms a 12-member client council made up of advertisers and marketers.
  - Facebook has released its eighth Sponsored Story ad unit.
  - Admins of websites using Facebook's Comments Box social plugin can now push the best comments.
  - You can now score Facebook Credits by racking up reward points from Bing.
  - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission gives thumbs up to Social Intelligence Corp for screening job applicants.
  - Facebook prepares partnership with music service Spotify.
  - The FEC declined to rule on creating extra regulations for Facebook political ads.
  - Facebook announced partnerships with SupersonicAds from the United Kingdom and Deal United from Germany.
  - Facebook launched the Send dialog.
  - Facebook hires Clinton administration press secretary Joe Lockhart as new vice president of global communications.
  - Facebook now shows in-house ads on users' home pages.
  - Third-party social web browser developer RockMelt announces that it has established a long-term partnership with Facebook.
  - Facebook extends the length of names permitted for Page tab applications from 16 characters or less, to up to 100 characters.
  - Facebook launches two new features on Places Pages: Recommend This Place and Community Edits.
  - Facebook is preparing itself for an IPO that could easily top $100 billion, according to a new report by CNBC.
  - Facebook launched a new feature in its Ads Manager called "Account Groups".
  - Bing for Mobile Browser enabled some new social features.
  - Apple's new iOS5 for iPhones and other mobile devices allows users to add Facebook handles.
  - WordPress has added WordPress.com, Twitter and Facebook login options to its own comments widget.
  - As of July 12th, stream stories can no longer be pre-filled with content.
  - Facebook launched its new Ads Power Editor desktop software for buyers who work directly with a Facebook ads representatives.
  - Blackberry just released the third beta update of version 2.0 of its Facebook for Blackberry Smartphones mobile app.
- JUL
  - Facebook users may now display that they have an "Expected: Child" within the family section.
  - Facebook launched its "Facebook for Business" resource center.
  - Events your friends have RSVP'd to shows photos uploaded to the event's wall.
  - A preview of comment content from that URL page will be shown in-line.
  - Facebook takes a social approach to getting local business owners to claim their Place Page.
  - Facebook ad impressions increased 104% in Q2, and 1900% year over year.
  - Page administrators to send their friends invites to Like their Page that appear as notifications.
  - Facebook officially launched "Facebook for Every Phone."
  - Hulu relaunched its Facebook integration.
  - Facebook has removed the ability for Page admins to tag their friends when posting as their Page.
  - Facebook will launches ad hoc group chat and a Skype integration to allow for video calling.
  - Mark Zuckerberg confirms Facebook at 750 million monthly active users at a product launch in Palo Alto.
  - Chrome browser extension called Facebook Friend Exporter id blocked by Facebook.
  - Facebook testing three new features that powers its checkin service Places.
- AUG
  - Facebook has decided to shut down Facebook Deals, its four-month-old Groupon competitor.
  - Failed attempt to acquire Instagram, so rolled out photo filters in a mobile application release.
  - Facebook has rolled out a new version of its popular Photos app.
  - Facebook usage in July 2009 to June 2011 fell 12.9% in the U.S. and 7.5% worldwide over that period.
  - Facebook unveiled a massive wave of privacy changes.
  - Facebook garnered more than 1 trillion page views per month in June and July.
  - Facebook's chat bar goes through multiple changes.
  - CDCR works to ensure Facebook accounts set up and monitored by prison inmates are terminated swiftly.
  - Facebook has started grouping status updates by topic.
  - Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of founder Mark Zuckerberg, starts her own company, RtoZ Media.
  - The Nielsen Co. will soon be offering a ratings service for Facebook campaigns.
  - Facebook has quietly rolled out a new feature that displays status updates you posted exactly one or two years ago.
  - Advertisers wishing to target Facebook members in specific zip codes can now do so.
  - Facebook has made several improvements to ad targeting in its self-serve tool.
  - News feed story that links to a Page when multiple friends post updates that mention the Page's name.
  - New "Merge" option to the Resources tab of the Page editor.
  - Facebook announced the official launch of Ads API.
  - Facebook has added a bounty system to its white hat program that rewards.
  - Facebook users can now tag a family member in a post by typing in how they are related, rather than their name.
- SEP
  - Facebook launches a massive upgrade of its Friend Lists.
  - New feature that lets active users group their email notifications into summary emails.
  - Revenues doubled in the first half of the year to $1.6 billion, according to a report.
  - Starting in 2012 FB is said to go public and predicted to be valued $80-100 billion.
  - Facebook has updated its iPhone apps many mirror recent enhancements to the website.
  - Facebook adds news ticker to the profiler's right sidebar above the chat.
  - Facebook news feed reads more like a newsletter.
  - Facebook photos are now bigger in display view.
  - Facebook is finishing beta testing but soon to launch Timeline.
  - New feature within posts that allows to view post's share across the network.
  - Profile images optioned to be thumbnail of the photo or the entire photo.
  - Pokes now show up in your notify tab.
  - Privacy setting preview per friend is no longer an option.
  - Ticker will tick "fan" Ads.
  - Open graph feature soon to launch.
- OCT
  - Facebook provides new “group and fan page” features.
  - Each of your liked pages from your personal account rotate to the left of your personal and also in your group and fan pages.
  - From a group page the admin can add page owners.
  - Page ownership will be publicly displayed on the left column on page and also on their personal profile.
  - Group and fan pages provide a resources tab to the left.
  - Use of FB social plug-ins give more options in utilization across the web.
  - Admins of Facebook Pages can now mention people within comments on Page posts.
  - Page admins can only mention people who have commented on a post originating from the Page.
  - Page Fans can see listed admins on page, which they then can locate admin even if admin has settings of “no search.”
  - If you opt to make posts as yourself on your Page, your name and profile (timeline) will appear along with those posts.
  - Facebook Platform goes on mobile connecting all the social channels to mobile apps and websites.
- NOV
  - Facebook updates the News Feed: most recent stories first.
  - Top photos and statuses posted while you've been away are marked with an easy-to-spot blue corner.
  - Photo upload allows the user to see each photo as it uploads and watch the upload progress in real-time.
  - Facebook made some improvements so you don't have to wait for the album to finish uploading to start adding details and stories.
  - Photos you share on Facebook are bigger (720 pixels to 960 pixels) and load twice as fast.
  - Photos you've already uploaded to your profile will be displayed at this higher resolution.
  - A more streamlined photo viewer that features a cleaner interface that makes it even easier to enjoy your photos.
  - All conversations between people are stored in a single conversation thread.
  - New Facebook messaging system supports the ability for a user to delete individual messages and it is also possible for messages to arrive out of order.
  - Recent activity stories available via stream FQL table and Graph API.
  - Update to the process of Pay Dialog for developers.
- DEC
  - Facebook Timeline in beta gives users 7 days to review timeline before anyone else can see it.
  - Page Fans can see personal profile timelines.
  - Open Graph objects and actions introduce new capabilities that allow users to be much more deeply engaged with your app.
  - The Facebook for Android 1.8 is launched.
  - Facebook launched the Subscribe button for websites, a social plugin any site can add to give visitors the option to subscribe to contributors in one click.
  - Facebook announced the removal of all App Profile Pages to commence on February 1st, 2012.
  - Facebook announced if users are using the new JS SDK then they are to upgrade their apps to support OAuth 2.0.
  - Facebook launched the last two remaining APIs that they intend to port to the Graph API. With this they are officially deprecating the REST API.
2010
- JAN
  - Per post insights are introduced.
  - The Notes app can now includes images with blog feeds.
- FEB
  - Facebook reaches over 400 million active users.
- MAR
  - Maximum photo size increases.
- APR
  - Facebook announces Open Graph API.
  - Community Pages are introduced.
  - Instant Personalization is introduced.
  - Facebook Lite is shut down.
  - Facebook asks users to match their personal profile interests to publicly accessible Pages.
  - The "Connect" brand is officially retired.
  - An updated version of Insights is launched.
- MAY
  - The "unlike" option is added.
  - Page administrators cannot move a photo to a different gallery.
- JUN
  - User images are displayed next to notifications at the top of the users' Page.
- JUL
  - Facebook launches beta of Questions.
  - The email interface for Facebook events is updated.
  - When new people join Facebook, they see a list of Pages that other people in a similar demographic Like.
  - The Facebook platform no longer supports HTML in application info tabs.
- AUG
  - Places launches.
  - Facebook updates the way some ads appear to users, featuring friends' reviews and a quote/review from them.
  - A new box on user profiles displaying which Pages the user Likes is tested.The Notes app receives an update.
- SEP
  - News Stories are integrated into the search feature.
  - Facebook announces improvements to its photos feature: high resolution images, a better viewer for browsing photos, and a simpler uploader.
  - Facebook releases the Page Browser.
- OCT
  - Facebook users can now see friends' faces next to web pages they've liked in Bing search results.
  - A new version of Groups launches.
- NOV
  - Facebook introduces "Deals".
- DEC
  - The new redesigned Profile is introduced.
  - Facebook announces "photo tag suggestions" using face recognition software.
  - Page admins can now invite email contacts to become fans of their Page.
2009
- JAN
  - Facebook reaches over 150 million active users.
- FEB
  - Facebook reaches over 175 million active users.
  - Facebook joins the OpenID board.
  - Facebook adds the "Like" feature.
- MAR
- APR
  - Facebook reaches over 200 million active users.
- MAY
- JUN
  - Facebook Usernames become available.
- JUL
  - Facebook reaches over 250 million active users.
- AUG
  - Real-time search is launched
- SEP
  - Facebook reaches over 300 million active users.
  - Facebook turns cash flow positive for the first time.
  - Facebook Lite is launched.
- OCT
- NOV
- DEC
  - Facebook reaches over 350 million active users.
2008
- JAN
- FEB
- MAR
- APR
  - Facebook Chat launches.
- MAY
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
  - Facebook reaches over 100 million active users.
- SEP
- OCT
- NOV
- DEC
  - Facebook Connect is available to the general public.
2007
- JAN
- FEB
  - Virtual Gift Shop launches.
- MAR
- APR
  - Facebook reaches 20 million active users.
  - Facebook updates its site design and adds network portals.
- MAY
  - Facebook launches the Marketplace application for classified listings.
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
- SEP
- OCT
  - Facebook reaches over 50 million active users.
  - The Facebook Platform for Mobile launches.
  - Microsoft takes a $240 million equity stake in Facebook.
- NOV
  - Facebook Ads launch.
- DEC
2006
- JAN
- FEB
- MAR
- APR
  - Facebook Mobile feature launches.
- MAY
  - Facebook expands to add work networks.
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
  - The Facebook development platform launches.
  - The Notes application is introduced.
  - Facebook and Microsoft form a strategic relationship for banner ad syndication.
- SEP
  - News Feed and Mini-Feed are introduced with additional privacy controls.
  - Facebook expands registration to anyone 13+.
- OCT
- NOV
  - A Share feature is added to Facebook.
- DEC
  - Facebook reaches more than 12 million active users.
2005
- JAN
- FEB
- MAR
- APR
- MAY
  - The Facebook grows to support more than 800 college networks.
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
  - The company officially changes its name to Facebook from thefacebook.com.
- SEP
  - Facebook expands to add high school networks.
- OCT
  - Photos is added as an application.
  - Facebook adds international school networks.
- NOV
- DEC
  - Facebook reaches more than 5.5 million active users.
2004
- JAN
  - Mark Zuckerberg registers thefacebook.com domain.
- FEB
  - Mark Zuckerberg and co-founders Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin launch The Facebook.
- MAR
  - The Facebook expands from Harvard to Stanford, Columbia and Yale.
- APR
  - Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin form Thefacebook.com LLC, a partnership.
- MAY
- JUN
- JUL
- AUG
- SEP
  - A Groups application is added.
  - The Wall is added as a Profile feature.
- OCT
- NOV
- DEC
  - The Facebook reaches nearly 1 million active users.
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Facebook Timeline

Facebook Timeline

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