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Meta Unmasked: The Hidden Truths Behind the Tech Titan

Meta is one of the most influential and controversial technology companies in the world. It owns and operates popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, as well as innovative products like Oculus VR and Ray-Ban Stories. But how much do you really know about Meta? Here are five facts that might surprise you.





Fact 1: Meta was not always called Meta

Meta was founded in 2004 as TheFacebook, a social networking site for Harvard students. It later changed its name to Facebook, Inc. and expanded to other colleges, high schools, and eventually the general public. In October 2021, Facebook announced that it was changing its corporate name to Meta Platforms, Inc., or Meta for short. The name change reflected the company's vision to create the metaverse, a virtual reality environment where people can interact and socialize in immersive ways. However, the name change did not affect the Facebook app, which remained as Facebook.


Fact 2: Meta has a secret building called Area 404

Meta has a large campus in Menlo Park, California, where most of its employees work. But within the campus, there is a mysterious building that is off-limits to most people. It is called Area 404, a reference to the HTTP error code for "not found". Area 404 is where Meta engineers and researchers work on hardware projects, such as VR headsets, drones, satellites, and servers. The building is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and machines, such as 3D printers, CNC mills, water jets, and laser cutters. Area 404 is also where Meta tests its prototypes and conducts experiments.


Fact 3: Meta has a real-life version of the Like button

The Like button is one of the most iconic features of Facebook. It allows users to express their appreciation or support for a post, comment, or message. But did you know that Meta has a real-life version of the Like button? It is a giant wooden hand that is mounted on a wall in one of the buildings on the campus. The hand has a thumb that can be moved up or down by pulling a rope. When the thumb is up, it means that the employees are happy or satisfied with something. When the thumb is down, it means that they are unhappy or dissatisfied with something. The hand is also connected to a counter that shows how many times it has been liked or disliked.


Fact 4: Meta has a secret language called FQL

Meta has a lot of data about its users, such as their profiles, posts, likes, comments, messages, friends, groups, events, and more. To store and access this data, Meta uses a database system called Cassandra. But to query this data, Meta uses a special language called FQL, or Facebook Query Language. FQL is similar to SQL, but it has some unique features and syntax. For example, FQL can perform complex queries across multiple tables, filter results by time ranges, and use operators like CONTAINS and ANY. FQL is mainly used by Meta developers and analysts, but it is also available to external developers who use the Meta API.


Fact 5: Meta has a hidden chess game in Messenger

Messenger is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. It allows users to send text, voice, video, and image messages, as well as stickers, emojis, and GIFs. But did you know that Messenger also has a hidden chess game? To play chess with your friends, you just need to type "@fbchess play" in a chat window. This will start a chessboard that you can control with commands. For example, to move a pawn, you can type "@fbchess Pe4", where P is the piece, e is the column, and 4 is the row. You can also type "@fbchess help" to see the list of commands and rules. The chess game is a fun and challenging way to pass the time with your friends.



I hope you enjoyed reading this blog on 5 facts that no one knows about Meta company. If you did, please share it with your friends and leave a comment below. And if you want to learn more about Meta and its products, you can visit their official website or follow them on social media. Thanks for reading!

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