English C1 CAE

(0) THE ubiquitous social media site was set (1) ............ in 2004 and launched on the 4th of February that year by five students from Harvard University. The website was initially intended only (2) ............ Harvard students. It did, however, quickly become used in other academic institutions and, since 2006, Facebook has been available to the global general public. By the end of 2016 Facebook had about 1.8 billion active monthly users. Facebook can be accessed from any web-connected device, with the growth of the mobile phone adding to (3) ............ phenomenal popularity. The app allows users to connect with each other, sending 'friend requests' to people they know, or would like to get to know. Participants check (4) ............ and post status updates, including their own or others' photos, and can check in to a location, allowing friends to know where they are and what they're up to. The interaction occurs (5) ............ looking at the posts of one's friends and commenting (6) ............ them, then (7) ............ liking the post or sharing it in turn with one's own group of friends. Facebook has come (8) ............ for stiff criticism from some quarters because of the amount of personal information it collects on its users, such as their likes and dislikes.