Facebook launches rebranding campaign

Mark Zuckerberg announced Thursday that the company he founded is rebranding as Meta.

“Facebook is one of the most used products in the history of the world … but increasingly it just doesn’t encompass everything we do,” Zuckerberg said during a livestreamed event.

The announcement came during an address by Zuckerberg about the company’s ambitions in what they are calling the “metaverse,” which is being pitched as an immersive virtual online experience.

Difficult times: The name change comes as Facebook continues to face intense scrutiny. Dozens of news stories have been released this week based on internal documents provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen painting a company that prioritizes profit over user safety.

Lawmakers have taken notice, pledging to move forward with regulations on the back of Haugen’s testimony earlier this month.

The new model, of which details are scant, appears to be one where the company’s collection of apps, including Facebook proper, Instagram and WhatsApp, will all be under the umbrella of Meta. That reorganization is similar to what Google did in 2015 when it formed Alphabet.