30m Joined Worldwide

FACEBOOK started in 2004 as a way for students at the top American university Harvard to keep in touch with each other.

Founder Mark Zuckerberg then spread the service to other colleges across the country.

The website, which allows users to post pictures of themselves and plan social events, was made available to anyone in 2006.

There are now more than 30m people signed up worldwide and 840,000 in the London network.

Famous users include Princes William and Harry, Stephen Fry, Amy Winehouse and Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

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