Facebook at 20: Scandal, looming regulation and a future built around AI

Facebook remains one of the most influential pieces of technology in the world, an expert has said, despite recent scandals, pressure from rivals and other issues it faces as it marks its 20th anniversary.

Founded by a group including chief executive Mark Zuckerberg in a Harvard dormitory in 2004, it has grown to become one of the largest technology companies in the world as Meta – the parent firm of Facebook and its sibling apps Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.

Over its 20-year existence, Facebook has helped usher in the era of social media as a communication space, content creation outlet and news source, but also been at the heart of major scandals, including the Cambridge data breach, as well as increased concerns about the impact