Facebook: A timeline

In honour of Facebook's fifth birthday, Web User has compiled a list of significant milestones in the site's development.

February 2004
Mark Zuckerburg, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin launch thefacebook.com while students at Harvard

September 2004
The Wall is added to members' profiles

August 2005
The name is officially changed from thefacebook.com to Facebook

October 2005
The photos application is added to Facebook

August 2006
Facebook signs a strategic advertising agreement with Microsoft

December 2006
Facebook now has some 12.5 million members

March 2007
Facebook has one million active members in the UK

Five Facebook highlights

October 2007
Microsoft buys a $240m (around £165m) stake in Facebook

December 2007
Facebook removes the Beacon application and apologises to members after privacy concerns are aired

April 2008
Facebook Chat launched, allowing members to communicate in real time

September 2008
Some Facebook members organise a protest against the redesigned layout of the site

December 2008
Facebook Connect lets members browse third-party websites without leaving the social network

February 2009
Facebook celebrates its fifth birthday

www.facebook.com