# Facebook launch at Harvard

> TheFacebook spread from Harvard to one million active users by year-end.

- Owner: Mark Zuckerberg and TheFacebook
- Kind: App & software
- Sector: Technology
- Seed date: 2004-02-04
- Milestone date: By end of 2004
- Date basis: Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 20 (Niche, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Maker origin, Identity badge, Platform jump, Controversy

## Summary

TheFacebook opened at Harvard, circulated through student mailing lists and expanded campus by campus. Student profiles and friend recruitment supplied the network. Advertising funded operations; Facebook later reported one million active users by year-end.

## Timeline

- 2004-02-04 — Mark Zuckerberg (Open web) — Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook for Harvard students with Harvard email addresses.
- 2004-02-04 — Kirkland House students (Open web) — Students circulated the link through Kirkland House's mailing list and then other Harvard Houses.
- 2004-02-09 — The Harvard Crimson (Press) — The Crimson reported over 650 registrations and described searching by courses, interests and Houses.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/facebook-harvard-launch

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Facebook launch at Harvard.” Case HIS-01617. Spread Score v1.3: 20/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01617