Brian Acton's Biography

Brian Acton is a renowned American computer programmer and internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of WhatsApp, the globally popular messaging application. Born on February 17, 1972, Acton graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Computer Science and began his professional journey at Yahoo!, where he honed his technical expertise and leadership skills. Together with Jan Koum, Acton launched WhatsApp in 2009, which rapidly gained worldwide popularity for its simple, secure, and ad-free messaging platform. In 2014, WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook for $19 billion, catapulting Acton into the ranks of the world’s tech billionaires. However, Acton later became a vocal critic of Facebook's privacy practices, choosing to leave the company and invest in the non-profit Signal Foundation, which supports the privacy-focused Signal messaging app. Known for his advocacy for user privacy and digital rights, Acton continues to influence the tech industry through innovation and philanthropy. His journey from job rejections at major tech firms to building one of the most successful messaging platforms exemplifies resilience and vision in the internet age.