Meta Platforms, Inc.,[11][12] also known as Meta[13] and formerly known as Facebook, Inc.,[14] is a multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. The company is the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other subsidiaries.[15] Meta is one of the world's most valuable companies and is considered one of the Big Tech companies in U.S. information technology, alongside Amazon, Google (Alphabet Inc), Apple, and Microsoft.[16] The company generates a substantial share of its revenue from the sale of advertisement placements to marketers.[17]
Meta products and services include Facebook, Messenger, Facebook Watch, and Facebook Portal. It has also acquired Oculus, Giphy, and Mapillary, and has a 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms.[18]
In October 2021, media outlets reported that the parent company of Facebook planned to change its name to "reflect its focus on building the metaverse".[19] It was rebranded as Meta later that month on October 28.[20][21] The word "meta" comes from the Greek language, meaning "beyond", indicating a futuristic motivation.[22]
