“Facemash Led Me to Meet Priscilla, Says Zuckerberg”

Mark Zuckerberg reflects on his time at Harvard University, where he created a pivotal website known as Facemash. This site, often overshadowed by his later work with Facebook, played a crucial role in his personal life by introducing him to his now-wife, Priscilla Chan.

Facemash: The Prank That Changed Everything

In 2003, while still a sophomore, Zuckerberg launched Facemash by accessing Harvard’s student directories. The site allowed users to rank the attractiveness of their fellow students. Although it gained rapid popularity, Facemash faced immediate backlash and was shut down.

Consequences and Connections

Zuckerberg found himself summoned by the Harvard Administrative Board. He faced serious accusations, including breaches of security and privacy violations. During this challenging moment, his friends believed he would be expelled from the university.

• Zuckerberg recalled, “Everyone thought I was going to get kicked out.”
• His parents even came to help him pack, while friends organized a farewell party.

It was at this gathering that he met Priscilla Chan, also a Harvard student. Their first encounter was memorable, occurring in line for the bathroom. Zuckerberg expressed his situation to Chan, saying, “I’m going to get kicked out in three days, so we need to go on a date quickly.”

The Aftermath of Facemash

Despite the dire circumstances, Zuckerberg was not expelled. However, he did decide to drop out of Harvard the following year to focus on developing Facebook. Though the 2010 film *The Social Network* dramatized the significance of Facemash in the birth of Facebook, Zuckerberg himself has played down its importance.

Building a Life Together

Priscilla Chan graduated from Harvard in 2007, later earning her medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco. She became a pediatrician and partnered with Zuckerberg to create the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in 2015. This philanthropic organization aims to tackle global challenges in health and education.

Chan currently serves as the co-CEO of the initiative. They have pledged to donate 99% of their shares in Meta Platforms to support its mission. Through their combined efforts, the couple seeks to make a lasting impact on the world, further solidifying the bond that began with a college prank.