Facebook announced on October 28, 2021 that the company would be changing its name to Meta. This name change went into effect on December 1, 2021. So December 1, 2021 was the date that Facebook officially changed its name to Meta.
Why Did Facebook Change Its Name to Meta?
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the name change during the company’s annual Connect conference. Zuckerberg stated that the name Facebook no longer encompassed everything that the company did. He said the new name of Meta reflects the company’s focus on building the metaverse and new technologies that go beyond social media.
The term “metaverse” refers to a vision of a future version of the internet that is an interconnected virtual world. Zuckerberg has long talked about his goals for the metaverse and Facebook’s focus on augmented reality and virtual reality. Changing the parent company’s name to Meta signals the tech giant’s commitment to being a metaverse-first company.
When Did Facebook Announce the Meta Name Change?
As mentioned previously, Facebook officially announced on October 28, 2021 that the company was changing its name to Meta. This announcement came during the keynote presentation at Facebook’s annual Connect conference.
Specifically, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the Meta name change about 87 minutes into his keynote speech. He stated “Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started.” Shortly after this, he announced that Facebook was changing its corporate name to Meta.
What Steps Did Facebook Take to Change to Meta?
The process of transitioning a huge company like Facebook to a new name doesn’t happen overnight. Here are some of the key steps Facebook took to change its corporate branding to Meta:
- Secured meta.com domain – Facebook bought the meta.com domain in 2019, suggesting they had been planning the change for a while.
- New company logo – The classic Facebook blue was replaced with a new infinity meta symbol.
- Rebranded products – Apps like Facebook and Instagram kept their original names, but Oculus VR was changed to Meta Quest.
- Updated signage – Signs and branding at Facebook corporate campuses were replaced to say Meta.
- Announced name change – The official announcement came during the Connect 2021 keynote.
- Updated website and materials – The facebook.com website was updated and all company materials changed.
- Informed partners – Advertisers, developers, shareholders and others were informed of the change.
Overall, it took more than a month for Facebook to fully transition its systems, marketing materials, websites and properties to reflect the new Meta name. But it all became official on December 1st.
How Did People React to the Meta Name Change?
The reaction to Facebook’s name change to Meta was mixed:
- Confusion – Many people were confused if Facebook the app was changing or just the parent company name.
- Skepticism – Some were skeptical this was an attempt to divert attention away from Facebook’s scandals.
- Optimism – Those excited about the metaverse welcomed the name change as a commitment to the technology.
- Mockery – Lots of people mocked the new name and metaverse focus online as odd and pretentious.
In general, the Meta rebranding received more negative and skeptical reactions than positive ones. But over time, the name has become more widely used and accepted.
What Products Fall Under the Meta Company?
Meta is now the parent company that owns and operates these major products and services:
| Product/Service | Description |
|---|---|
| The social media platform and app. | |
| Photo and video sharing app. | |
| Messenger | Messaging app and platform. |
| Encrypted messaging app. | |
| Oculus | Virtual reality headsets and platform (now Meta Quest). |
| Portal | Video calling devices. |
In addition to these consumer products and services, Meta is also developing futuristic technologies like the metaverse, AR/VR, neural sensors, cryptocurrency Diem and more.
Major Apps and Products Under Meta
Here is some more detail on Meta’s major apps and platforms:
- Facebook – The social media website and mobile app launched in 2004. It has over 2.9 billion monthly active users worldwide.
- Instagram – Photo and video sharing app acquired by Facebook in 2012. It has over 1 billion monthly active users.
- Messenger – Instant messaging app and platform which originally launched as part of Facebook. It has over 1 billion monthly active users.
- WhatsApp – Secure messaging app bought by Facebook in 2014. It has around 2 billion monthly active users.
- Oculus/Meta Quest – Virtual reality headsets, apps and games. Meta has over 10 million monthly Quest 2 VR headset users.
Did the Stock Ticker Symbol Change?
No, Facebook’s stock ticker symbol did not change when it transitioned to Meta. Facebook’s stock has been listed on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol FB since its initial public offering in 2012.
The ticker symbol remained FB after the name change to Meta. So Meta’s stock is still traded under FB on the NASDAQ stock exchange. This provided continuity for investors and prevented confusion surrounding the ticker.
What Was Facebook’s Stock Price Before and After the Change?
Here is how Facebook’s stock price moved before and after the official name change to Meta on December 1, 2021:
- October 28, 2021 (before announcement) – Closed at $315.81 per share
- November 30, 2021 (day before change) – Closed at $339.51 per share
- December 1, 2021 (day of change) – Closed at $318.83 per share
- December 2, 2021 – Closed at $320.03 per share
In the weeks after the name change, Meta’s stock price trended downward amid the overall tech selloff. But the name change itself did not cause any significant jump or drop in share price.
Did Users Have to Do Anything as a Result of the Change?
No, Facebook users did not have to do anything when Facebook changed its name to Meta. The Facebook app and platform worked the same as before even after the parent company became Meta.
Users were able to continue accessing their Facebook accounts normally. The interface and functionality of the Facebook app and website did not change with the corporate rebranding.
The transition from Facebook to Meta was entirely on the company and corporate branding side. Meta accounts, IDs or usernames were not created. Users saw no changes to their individual Facebook accounts as a result of the company name change.
Could Users Still Say They Use Facebook After the Change?
Yes, users could still say they use Facebook even after Facebook changed its corporate name to Meta. The Facebook app and platform retained its original branding and name even after the parent company transitioned to Meta.
Meta is simply the new overall company name that owns Facebook. But Facebook itself continued to be called Facebook. So it was still accurate for someone to say they have a Facebook account, use the Facebook app, etc after the name change.
Did Facebook Change Its Company Mission or Values?
Facebook did not announce any formal changes to the company’s mission, values or principles as part of the rebranding to Meta. However, Mark Zuckerberg did outline a vision focused on the metaverse.
Facebook’s official company mission has been “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together” since 2017. This mission statement remained unchanged even after transitioning from Facebook to Meta.
But Zuckerberg did indicate that Meta would have a new focus on helping to bring the metaverse to life and connecting people in virtual worlds. This suggests that while the formal mission statement did not change, the company’s areas of focus expanded beyond just social media.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook officially changed its corporate name to Meta on December 1, 2021. This name change reflected the company’s expanded vision beyond social media to focus on the metaverse. While the parent name became Meta, flagship products like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp retained their original branding.
The transition from Facebook to Meta was mostly felt on the company and branding side, with limited practical impact on users. But it signaled a major shift in focus to developing the next generation of virtual and augmented reality technologies.