When people have control over what they share, they're comfortable sharing more.

When people share more, the world becomes more open and connected.

It has ruined careers, is banned in certain countries, and is accused of invading the privacy of its users.

It is also one of the most popular sites on the Internet.

So I just wanna say thanks. You've all made Facebook what it is today.

You really have created a world-wide movement.

Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we'll be learning more about the history of Facebook.

Facebook was founded in February 2004 by Harvard roommates Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moscovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin.

Originally designed to help people communicate effectively online, Facebook evolved to become a forum for information sharing as well.

Today, Facebook is by far the largest image-sharing site in the world.

Initially only offered to Harvard students, it wasn't long before Facebook expanded to Stanford, Columbia, Yale and many other universities across the U.S. and Canada.

It was finally made available to the general population in September 2006.

Evolving rapidly, the site launched Facebook Platform in 2007.

This allowed developers to create applications on Facebook that worked together with the site's features.

2007 also saw Facebook expand their search partnership with Microsoft.

By 2008, the site launched Facebook Connect, a service that allowed users to sign in to various sites across the web using their Facebook account credentials.

This project both simplified navigation and increased engagement.

However it also added to the criticism of Facebook's ever-growing reach and influence.

Since then, Facebook has become the largest social networking site in the world, surpassing rival MySpace in April of 2008.

By August of 2010, Facebook leap-frogged over Google as the property on which users spent the most time.

This year also marked another milestone for Facebook crossing 500 million users, with no signs of slowing down.

Half a billion is a nice number.

But the number isn't what really matters here.

What matters is all of the stories we hear from all of you about the impact your connections have had on your lives.

Mark Zuckerberg was the last founding member to remain with Facebook.

A special clause in his contract allows him to stay on as CEO for as long as he chooses.

As of 2010, the wonder kid owned more than a quarter of Facebook stock, and controlled three of five board seats.

His success did come at a price, however.

In 2007, a lawsuit was filed against Facebook and Zuckerberg by three Harvard classmates.

Divya Narendra and twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.

The three alleged that the idea and source code for Facebook was in fact stolen from them when they had hired a young Zuckerberg to build their website called Harvard Connection.

The case was settled with Facebook agreeing to pay $65 million to the trio.

Over the years, various start-ups have attempted to steal Facebook's thunder.

Sites like Twitter and Foursquare have done little to negatively impact Facebook's popularity online.

However they have influenced Zuckerberg to update functions and add features to woo celebrities and organizations.

And we can create a Web that is more social, personalized, smarter, and semantically-aware.

As well as satisfy average user needs.

The Web is gonna get a whole lot better.

Despite widespread criticism, Facebook is considered one of the best tech companies to work for, with the promise of an IPO payout.

Proving the site and its mythology have taken on a life of their own, a 2010 film called The Social Network chronicled the early days of the company and its meteoric rise.

You've been accused of intentionally breaching security, violating copyrights, violating individual privacy...

However, the film also placed the company under the spotlight as never before.

Part fact, part dramatization, the film did nothing more than solidify Facebook's and Mark Zuckerberg's respective places in the history books.

On a personal note, I just turned 26 a few days ago.

As I look back to when I started Facebook, I am amazed as how it's evolved, and how so many of you are using it to stay connected all around the world.