Facebook touts hitting billion users

SAN FRANCISCO—Facebook on Thursday celebrated eclipsing the billion-member mark, touting its mission to make the world more social while investors wondered how the service would cash in on its popularity.

Cofounder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced that more than a seventh of the planet’s population resided virtually at Facebook, saying the accomplishment was “humbling.”

“Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life,” Zuckerberg said.

Estranged Facebook cofounder Eduardo Saverin weighed in on his feed at the social network, writing “Congrats to Mark and the entire Facebook team and especially to every Facebook user who built Facebook with every login, invitation, comment and feedback.” Facebook even released its first promotional video in tribute to the milestone.

Investors, however, did not appear celebratory and Facebook shares slid about 1.6 percent to $21.60 in after-market trading on the Nasdaq.

Analysts are divided on whether Facebook can leverage its massive user base for advertising and other revenues and still remain loyal to Zuckerberg’s goal of making it a service to connect the world.

Of particular concern was how Facebook planned to make money from members shifting to accessing the service on smart phones or tablet computers.

More than half of the billion people using Facebook monthly do so on mobile devices, according to the northern California-based company.