Meta (Facebook)

Meta's social graph, invented in 2004, now connects 3.3 billion daily active users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — the largest human communication network in history. Its algorithmic feed and targeted advertising model reshaped global media and politics, generating $134 billion in 2023 revenue. This platform scale drove a 40% increase in time spent on social media globally since 2010, fundamentally altering social behavior and power structures. Despite antitrust scrutiny, Meta remains the dominant force in connecting humanity.