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The story of Chris Hughes, who made a fortune by helping Mark Zuckerberg create Facebook, but now thinks it should be broken up

Paige Leskin   

The story of Chris Hughes, who made a fortune by helping Mark Zuckerberg create Facebook, but now thinks it should be broken up
Careers1 min read

chris hughes 2010

Ramin Talaie/Corbis via Getty Images

Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes

  • On Thursday, Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes wrote a blistering op-ed in the New York Times slamming Mark Zuckerberg and calling for the social network to be split up. 
  • Hughes hasn't worked at Facebook since 2007, and cashed out his stake of $500 million or so in the company not long after the IPO in 2012. 
  • In his career, Hughes has worked for Barack Obama's first presidential campaign, led the New Republic magazine, and founded nonprofits. 
  • Here's what you need to know about Chris Hughes.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Facebook was launched by a group of Harvard students from a dorm room in 2004. 

One of those former students, Mark Zuckerberg, has become one of the richest and most prominent CEOs in the world - but also one of the most controversial, as Facebook has come under fire in a seemingly never-ending string of scandals.

On Thursday, Chris Hughes, one of Facebook's other cofounders, became the latest to slam Zuckerberg in a blistering New York Times op-ed, calling for the social network to be broken up and asking for increased regulation over the tech industry.

But who is Chris Hughes, this lesser-known Facebook cofounder? 

Hughes, 35, departed Facebook a decade ago with a small stake in the company. Although he hasn't quite achieved the notoriety of Zuckerberg, Hughes' career post-Facebook has included volunteering for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, a stint as editor of the magazine The New Republic, and pushing for Universal Basic Income (UBI) and other big social reforms.

Here's the life of Chris Hughes, from Harvard student to cofounder to one of Facebook's biggest critics:

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