A brief history of Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg, 23, founded Facebook while studying psychology at Harvard University. A keen computer programmer, Mr Zuckerberg had already developed a number of social-networking websites for fellow students, including Coursematch, which allowed users to view people taking their degree, and Facemash, where you could rate people's attractiveness.
In February 2004 Mr Zuckerberg launched "The facebook", as it was originally known; the name taken from the sheets of paper distributed to freshmen, profiling students and staff. Within 24 hours, 1,200 Harvard students had signed up, and after one month, over half of the undergraduate population had a profile.
The network was promptly extended to other Boston universities, the Ivy League and eventually all US universities. It became Facebook.com in August 2005 after the address was purchased for $200,000. US high schools could sign up from September 2005, then it began to spread worldwide, reaching UK universities the following month.
As of September 2006, the network was extended beyond educational institutions to anyone with a registered email address. The site remains free to join, and makes a profit through advertising revenue. Yahoo and Google are among companies which have expressed interest in a buy-out, with rumoured figures of around $2bn (£975m) being discussed. Mr Zuckerberg has so far refused to sell.
The site's features have continued to develop during 2007. Users can now give gifts to friends, post free classified advertisements and even develop their own applications - graffiti and Scrabble are particularly popular.
This month the company announced that the number of registered users had reached 30 million, making it the largest social-networking site with an education focus.
Earlier in the year there were rumours that Prince William had registered, but it was later revealed to be a mere impostor. The MP David Miliband, the radio DJ Jo Whiley, the actor Orlando Bloom, the artist Tracey Emin and the founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, are among confirmed high-profile members.
This month officials banned a flash-mob-style water fight in Hyde Park, organised through Facebook, due to public safety fears. And there was further controversy at Oxford as students became aware that university authorities were checking their Facebook profiles.
The legal case against Facebook dates back to September 2004, when Divya Narendra, and the brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who founded the social-networking site ConnectU, accused Mr Zuckerberg of copying their ideas and coding. Mr Zuckerberg had worked as a computer programmer for them when they were all at Harvard before Facebook was created.
The case was dismissed due to a technicality in March 2007 but without a ruling.

Google launches Rs 12cr contest for social entrepreneurs

Internet search titan Google has launched its Google Impact Challenge in India, asking the country's non-profit organizations how they would use technology to tackle social problems in India and around the world. The four submissions judged as the best will each receive Rs 3 crore and technical assistance from Google to help make their project a reality.

Applications to the competition open today and Indian non-profits are invited to apply online by 5th September at g.co/indiachallenge. A team from Google will review applications and announce 10 finalists on October 21. The top 10 finalists will then be announced and the public will be able to cast a vote for their favourite projects.

The final event, scheduled to take place on October 31, will be judged by a panel comprising Google board member Ram Shriram; Google's chief business officer, Nikesh Arora; Jacquelline Fuller, director of Google Giving; Anu Aga, social worker and former chairperson, Thermax; and Jayant Sinha, managing director, Omidyar Network India Advisors, who will select three awardees. The fourth winner will be selected on the basis of online votes from the public.

This is Google's first Challenge in India and only its second overall. The company annually gives away approximately $100 million in grants, $1 billion in free as well as discounted apps and ads, and 50,000 employee volunteer hours globally. In 2012, it launched the Global Impact Awards to support entrepreneurial non-profits with a tech idea for how to change the world.

Previous awardees have developed projects ranging from technology that allowed under-privileged students to access maths and science education to real-time sensors that help ensure people have better access to clean water.

Ram Shriram, judge and Google board member, said, "I've had the privilege of working with budding inventors for many years, and I know India's entrepreneurs are some of the biggest and boldest thinkers in the world. Today I'm thrilled to be part of a new tech-oriented, venture model that will support our country's amazing engine of social entrepreneurs, identifying and backing the best technology ideas to improve the lives of millions."

Rajan Anandan, vice president and managing director, Google India, added, "We are thrilled that the Google Impact Challenge is launching in India. It is a great opportunity for Indian non-profits to scale their efforts to help solve some of our toughest problems. India already has a rich tradition of corporate giving and hopefully the Challenge will galvanize social entrepreneurship in India."