Meta Platforms (META) 10-Q 23 Apr 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 21, 2015
Entity Information
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Trading Symbol	FB
Entity Registrant Name	FACEBOOK INC
Entity Central Index Key	1326801
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Class A Common Stock
Entity Information
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		2,248,896,523
Class B Common Stock
Entity Information
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		559,339,723

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$3,419	$4,315
Marketable securities	8,994	6,884
Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $42 and $39 as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	1,508	1,678
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,083	793
Total current assets	15,004	13,670
Property and equipment, net	4,619	3,967
Intangible assets, net	3,774	3,929
Goodwill	18,005	17,981
Other assets	605	637
Total assets	42,007	40,184
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	129	176
Partners payable	189	202
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	1,300	866
Deferred revenue and deposits	55	66
Current portion of capital lease obligations	73	114
Total current liabilities	1,746	1,424
Capital lease obligations, less current portion	113	119
Other liabilities	2,647	2,545
Total liabilities	4,506	4,088
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $0.000006 par value; 5,000 million Class A shares authorized, 2,247 million and 2,234 million shares issued and outstanding, including 12 million and 13 million outstanding shares subject to repurchase, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively; 4,141 million Class B shares authorized, 559 million and 563 million shares issued and outstanding, including 5 million and 6 million outstanding shares subject to repurchase, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	31,337	30,225
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	-447	-228
Retained earnings	6,611	6,099
Total stockholders' equity	37,501	36,096
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$42,007	$40,184

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Accounts receivable, allowances for doubtful accounts	$42	$39
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$0.00	$0.00
Class A Common Stock
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, shares authorized	5,000,000,000	5,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	2,247,000,000	2,234,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	2,247,000,000	2,234,000,000
Common stock, outstanding shares subject to repurchase	12,000,000	13,000,000
Class B Common Stock
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, shares authorized	4,141,000,000	4,141,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	559,000,000	563,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	559,000,000	563,000,000
Common stock, outstanding shares subject to repurchase	5,000,000	6,000,000

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Revenue	$3,543	$2,502
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue	654	462
Research and development	1,062	455
Marketing and sales	620	323
General and administrative	274	187
Total costs and expenses	2,610	1,427
Income from operations	933	1,075
Interest and other income/(expense), net	-1	0
Income before provision for income taxes	932	1,075
Provision for income taxes	420	433
Net income	512	642
Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	3	3
Net income attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders	509	639
Earnings per share attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Weighted average shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders:
Basic (in shares)	2,784	2,545
Diluted (in shares)	2,836	2,609
Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:
Share-based compensation expense	703	274
Cost of revenue
Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:
Share-based compensation expense	17	12
Research and development
Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:
Share-based compensation expense	566	181
Marketing and sales
Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:
Share-based compensation expense	72	43
General and administrative
Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:
Share-based compensation expense	$48	$38

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$512	$642
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in foreign currency translation adjustment	-223	-1
Change in unrealized gain/loss on available-for-sale investments, net of tax	4	2
Comprehensive income	$293	$643

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME2

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$512	$642
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	457	264
Share-based compensation	694	274
Deferred income taxes	-223	-1
Tax benefit from share-based award activity	423	345
Excess tax benefit from share-based award activity	-423	-348
Other	6	-4
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	84	105
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	-43	-4
Other assets	-32	16
Accounts payable	-15	-10
Partners payable	-13	7
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	134	-27
Deferred revenue and deposits	-10	0
Other liabilities	149	26
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,700	1,285
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment	-502	-363
Purchases of marketable securities	-3,055	-2,974
Sales of marketable securities	608	847
Maturities of marketable securities	339	619
Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, and purchases of intangible assets	-257	0
Change in restricted cash and deposits	23	0
Other investing activities, net	0	-1
Net cash used in investing activities	-2,844	-1,872
Cash flows from financing activities
Taxes paid related to net share settlement	-5	-3
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	1
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	-47	-84
Excess tax benefit from share-based award activity	423	348
Net cash provided by financing activities	371	262
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-123	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	-896	-325
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,315	3,323
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	3,419	2,998
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest	3	4
Income taxes, net	119	37
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Promissory note payable issued in connection with an acquisition	198	0
Accounts Payable Accrued Expenses And Other Current Liabilities
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Net change in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities related to property and equipment additions	$186	($3)

Summary_of_Significant_Account

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
	The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP.
	The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Facebook, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for the full year ending December 31, 2015.
	There have been no changes to our significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 that have had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes.
	Use of Estimates
	Conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates form the basis for judgments we make about the carrying values of our assets and liabilities, which are not readily apparent from other sources. We base our estimates and judgments on historical information and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. GAAP requires us to make estimates and judgments in several areas, including, but not limited to, those related to revenue recognition, collectability of accounts receivable, contingent liabilities, fair value of financial instruments, fair value of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, and income taxes. These estimates are based on management's knowledge about current events and expectations about actions we may undertake in the future. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions
	In the three months ended March 31, 2015, we completed several business acquisitions for total consideration of $433 million, the substantial majority of which is related to a business combination involving land and buildings adjacent to our headquarters in Menlo Park. Included in this amount is a $198 million promissory note payable issued in connection with this particular acquisition. This promissory note payable is classified under accrued expenses and other current liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. These acquisitions were not material to our condensed consolidated financial statements, either individually or in the aggregate. We have included the financial results of these business acquisitions, which are not material, in our condensed consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. Pro forma historical results of operations related to these business acquisitions during the three months ended March 31, 2015 have not been presented because they are not material to our condensed consolidated statements of income, either individually or in the aggregate.
	The following table summarizes the allocation of the fair values of net assets acquired during the three months ended March 31, 2015, including the related useful lives, where applicable:
		(in millions)			Useful lives (in years)
	Finite-lived intangible assets:
	Acquired technology	$	14		3
	Other	5			3
	Land acquired	379
	Other net tangible assets acquired	11
	Deferred tax liabilities	(2		)
	Net assets acquired	$	407
	Goodwill	26
	Total fair value consideration	$	433
	Goodwill generated from all business acquisitions completed during the three months ended March 31, 2015 is primarily attributable to expected synergies from future growth and potential monetization opportunities. Goodwill generated during this period is not deductible for tax purposes.

Earnings_per_Share

Earnings per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings per Share	Earnings per Share
	We compute earnings per share (EPS) of Class A and Class B common stock using the two-class method required for participating securities. We consider restricted stock awards to be participating securities because holders of such shares have non-forfeitable dividend rights in the event of our declaration of a dividend for common shares.
	Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities are subtracted from net income in determining net income attributable to common stockholders. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of our Class A and Class B common stock outstanding, adjusted for outstanding shares that are subject to repurchase.
	For the calculation of diluted EPS, net income attributable to common stockholders for basic EPS is adjusted by the effect of dilutive securities, including awards under our equity compensation plans and inducement awards under a separate non-plan RSU award agreement. In addition, the computation of the diluted EPS of Class A common stock assumes the conversion of our Class B common stock to Class A common stock, while the diluted EPS of Class B common stock does not assume the conversion of those shares to Class A common stock. Diluted EPS attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the resulting net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of fully diluted common shares outstanding.
	Basic and dilutive securities in our basic and diluted EPS calculation for the three months ended March 31, 2015 do not include contingent earn-out shares. Issuance of these earn-out shares is dependent upon the completion of certain milestones. These milestones were not met as of March 31, 2015 and accordingly, these shares are excluded from the effect of basic and dilutive securities.
	There were no restricted stock units (RSUs) excluded from the EPS calculation for the three months ended March 31, 2015. There were 3 million RSUs excluded from the calculation for the three months ended March 31, 2014 because the impact would be anti-dilutive.
	Basic and diluted EPS are the same for each class of common stock because they are entitled to the same liquidation and dividend rights.
	The numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPS computations for our common stock are calculated as follows (in millions, except per share amounts):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015				2014
		Class A		Class B		Class A		Class B
	Basic EPS:
	Numerator
	Net income	$	410	$	102	$	498	$	144
	Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	2		1		2		1
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	408	$	101	$	496	$	143
	Denominator
	Weighted average shares outstanding	2,241		561		1,982		574
	Less: Shares subject to repurchase	12		6		5		6
	Number of shares used for basic EPS computation	2,229		555		1,977		568
	Basic EPS	$	0.18	$	0.18	$	0.25	$	0.25
	Diluted EPS:
	Numerator
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	408	$	101	$	496	$	143
	Reallocation of net income attributable to participating securities	3		—		3		—
	Reallocation of net income as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	101		—		143		—
	Reallocation of net income to Class B common stock	—		3		—		7
	Net income attributable to common stockholders for diluted EPS	$	512	$	104	$	642	$	150
	Denominator
	Number of shares used for basic EPS computation	2,229		555		1,977		568
	Conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	555		—		568		—
	Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
	Employee stock options	9		9		15		15
	RSUs	37		11		41		20
	Shares subject to repurchase	6		3		8		5
	Number of shares used for diluted EPS computation	2,836		578		2,609		608
	Diluted EPS	$	0.18	$	0.18	$	0.25	$	0.25

Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents_and_

Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities	Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
	The following table sets forth the cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities (in millions):
		March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Cash and cash equivalents:
	Cash	$	2,644	$	2,162
	Money market funds	775		2,153
	Total cash and cash equivalents	3,419		4,315
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	3,670		2,830
	U.S. government agency securities	3,575		2,710
	Corporate debt securities	1,749		1,344
	Total marketable securities	8,994		6,884
	Total cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities	$	12,413	$	11,199
	The gross unrealized gains or losses on our marketable securities as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were not significant. In addition, there were no securities in a continuous loss position for 12 months or longer as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.
	The following table classifies our marketable securities by contractual maturities (in millions):
		31-Mar-15
	Due in one year	$	4,631
	Due in one to two years	4,363
	Total	$	8,994

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurement
	The following table summarizes, for assets or liabilities measured at fair value, the respective fair value and the classification by level of input within the fair value hierarchy (in millions):
				Fair Value Measurement at
				Reporting Date Using
	Description	31-Mar-15		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant
				in Active		Other		Unobservable
				Markets for		Observable		Inputs
				Identical Assets		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Cash equivalents:
	Money market funds	$	775	$	775	$	—	$	—
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	3,670		3,670		—		—
	U.S. government agency securities	3,575		3,575		—		—
	Corporate debt securities	1,749		—		1,749		—
	Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	$	9,769	$	8,020	$	1,749	$	—
	Other liabilities:
	Contingent consideration liability	$	203	$	—	$	—	$	203
				Fair Value Measurement at
				Reporting Date Using
	Description	31-Dec-14		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant
				in Active		Other		Unobservable
				Markets for		Observable		Inputs
				Identical Assets		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Cash equivalents:
	Money market funds	$	2,153	$	2,153	$	—	$	—
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	2,830		2,830		—		—
	U.S. government agency securities	2,710		2,710		—		—
	Corporate debt securities	1,344		—		1,344		—
	Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	$	9,037	$	7,693	$	1,344	$	—
	Other liabilities:
	Contingent consideration liability	$	191	$	—	$	—	$	191
	We classify our cash equivalents and marketable securities within Level 1 or Level 2 because we use quoted market prices or alternative pricing sources and models utilizing market observable inputs to determine their fair value.
	We classify our contingent consideration liability in connection with an acquisition in 2014 within Level 3 as factors used to develop the estimated fair value are unobservable inputs that are not supported by market activity. We estimate the fair value of our contingent consideration liability based on the present value of probability-weighted future cash flows related to the contingent earn-out criteria and the fair value of our common stock on each reporting date. Changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability subsequent to the acquisition date, such as changes in the probability assessment and the fair value of our common stock, are recognized in earnings in the period when the change in the estimated fair value occurs. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, we recognized a $12 million increase in the fair value of our contingent consideration liability in research and development expense in our condensed consolidated statements of income primarily due to an increase in the fair value of our common stock.

Property_and_Equipment

Property and Equipment	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and Equipment	Property and Equipment
	Property and equipment consists of the following (in millions):
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Land	$	562		$	153
	Buildings	1,792			1,420
	Leasehold improvements	330			304
	Network equipment	3,118			3,020
	Computer software, office equipment and other	183			149
	Construction in progress	589			738
	Total	6,574			5,784
	Less: Accumulated depreciation	(1,955		)	(1,817		)
	Property and equipment, net	$	4,619		$	3,967
	Construction in progress includes costs primarily related to the construction of data centers and network equipment infrastructure to support our data centers around the world. No interest was capitalized during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Intangible Assets
	The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are as follows (in millions):
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	17,981
	Goodwill acquired	26
	Effect of currency translation adjustment	(2		)
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	$	18,005
	Intangible assets consist of the following (in millions):
				31-Mar-15							31-Dec-14
		Useful lives from date of acquisitions (in years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
	Finite-lived intangible assets:
	Acquired users	7-Mar		$	2,056	$	(159	)	$	1,897	$	2,056	$	(85	)	$	1,971
	Acquired technology	10-Feb		827		(187		)	640		813		(144		)	669
	Acquired patents	18-Feb		778		(262		)	516		773		(239		)	534
	Trade names	7-Feb		632		(75		)	557		632		(46		)	586
	Other	10-Feb		169		(65		)	104		164		(55		)	109
	Total finite-lived intangible assets			$	4,462	$	(748	)	$	3,714	$	4,438	$	(569	)	$	3,869
	Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
	In-process research and development (IPR&D)			$	60	$	—		$	60	$	60	$	—		$	60
	Total intangible assets			$	4,522	$	(748	)	$	3,774	$	4,498	$	(569	)	$	3,929
	As of March 31, 2015, technological feasibility has not been established for our IPR&D intangible assets. They have no alternative future use and, as such, continue to be accounted for as indefinite-lived intangible assets.
	Amortization expense of intangible assets was $179 million and $41 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
	As of March 31, 2015, expected amortization expense for the unamortized acquired intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter is as follows (in millions):
	The remainder of 2015	$	537
	2016	698
	2017	655
	2018	601
	2019	519
	Thereafter	704
	Total	$	3,714

Longterm_Debt

Long-term Debt	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	Long-term Debt
	In August 2013, we entered into a five-year senior unsecured revolving credit facility (2013 Revolving Credit Facility) that allows us to borrow up to $6.5 billion to fund working capital and general corporate purposes with interest payable on the borrowed amounts set at LIBOR plus 1.0%, as well as an annual commitment fee of 0.10% on the daily undrawn balance of the facility. We paid origination fees at closing of the 2013 Revolving Credit Facility, which fees are being amortized over the term of the facility. Any amounts outstanding under this facility will be due and payable on August 15, 2018. As of March 31, 2015, no amounts had been drawn down and we were in compliance with the covenants under this facility.

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies
	Commitments
	Leases
	We entered into various capital lease arrangements to obtain property and equipment for our operations. Additionally, on occasion we have purchased property and equipment for which we have subsequently obtained capital financing under sale-leaseback transactions. These agreements are typically for three years, except for a building lease which is for 15 years, with interest rates ranging from 1% to 13%. The leases are secured by the underlying leased buildings, leasehold improvements, and equipment. We have also entered into various non-cancelable operating lease agreements for certain of our offices, equipment, land and data centers with original lease periods expiring between 2015 and 2030. We are committed to pay a portion of the related actual operating expenses under certain of these lease agreements. Certain of these arrangements have free rent periods or escalating rent payment provisions, and we recognize rent expense under such arrangements on a straight-line basis.
	Operating lease expense was $39 million and $29 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
	Contingencies
	Legal Matters
	Beginning on May 22, 2012, multiple putative class actions, derivative actions, and individual actions were filed in state and federal courts in the United States and in other jurisdictions against us, our directors, and/or certain of our officers alleging violation of securities laws or breach of fiduciary duties in connection with our initial public offering (IPO) and seeking unspecified damages. We believe these lawsuits are without merit, and we intend to continue to vigorously defend them. The vast majority of the cases in the United States, along with multiple cases filed against The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. and The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (collectively referred to herein as NASDAQ) alleging technical and other trading-related errors by NASDAQ in connection with our IPO, were ordered centralized for coordinated or consolidated pre-trial proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In a series of rulings in 2013 and 2014, the court denied our motion to dismiss the consolidated securities class action and granted our motions to dismiss the derivative actions against our directors and certain of our officers. The plaintiffs in four of these derivative actions have filed notices of appeal. The appeals have been fully briefed. On December 23, 2014, the plaintiffs in the consolidated securities class action filed their motion for class certification. On April 10, 2015, we filed our opposition to class certification. In addition, the events surrounding our IPO became the subject of various state and federal government inquiries. In May 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notified us that it had terminated its inquiry and that no enforcement action had been recommended by the SEC.
	We are also party to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. With respect to our outstanding legal matters, we believe that the amount or estimable range of reasonably possible loss will not, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. However, the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain. Therefore, if one or more of these legal matters were resolved against us for amounts in excess of management's expectations, our results of operations and financial condition, including in a particular reporting period, could be materially adversely affected.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders' Equity
	Share-based Compensation Plans
	We maintain two share-based employee compensation plans: the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (2012 Plan) and the 2005 Stock Plan (collectively, Stock Plans). Our 2012 Plan serves as the successor to our 2005 Stock Plan and provides for the issuance of incentive and nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock awards, stock appreciation rights, RSUs, performance shares and stock bonuses to qualified employees, directors and consultants. Outstanding awards under the 2005 Stock Plan continue to be subject to the terms and conditions of the 2005 Stock Plan.
	We initially reserved 25,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock for issuance under our 2012 Plan. The number of shares reserved for issuance under our 2012 Plan increase automatically on the first day of January of each of 2013 through 2022 by a number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the lesser of (i) 2.5% of the total outstanding shares of our common stock as of the immediately preceding December 31st or (ii) a number of shares determined by the board of directors. Our board of directors elected not to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance in 2015. In addition, shares available for grant under the 2005 Stock Plan, which were reserved but not issued, forfeited or repurchased at their original issue price, or subject to outstanding awards under the 2005 Stock Plan as of the effective date of our IPO, were added to the reserves of the 2012 Plan. The maximum term for stock options granted under the 2012 Plan may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. Our 2012 Plan will terminate ten years from the date of approval unless it is terminated earlier by our compensation committee.
	The following table summarizes the activities of stock option awards under the Stock Plans for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Shares Subject to Options Outstanding
		Number of		Weighted		Weighted-	Aggregate
		Shares		Average		Average	Intrinsic
				Exercise		Remaining	Value(1)
				Price		Contractual
						Term
		(in thousands)				(in years)	(in millions)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	12,984		$	4.78
	Stock options exercised	(829	)	0.49
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	12,155		$	5.08	3.64	$	938
	Stock options vested and expected to vest as of March 31, 2015	12,152		$	5.08	3.64	$	937
	Stock options exercisable as of March 31, 2015	9,257		$	2.88	3.09	$	734
	-1	The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option awards and the closing price of our Class A common stock of $82.22 on March 31, 2015.
	The following table summarizes the activities for our unvested RSUs for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Unvested RSUs(1)
		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Unvested at December 31, 2014	138,055		$	55.89
	Granted	22,334		77.82
	Vested	(10,745	)	42.63
	Forfeited	(1,425	)	46.14
	Unvested at March 31, 2015	148,219		$	60.25
	-1	Unvested shares include inducement awards issued in connection with an acquisition in 2014 and are subject to the terms, restrictions, and conditions of a separate non-plan RSU award agreement.
	The fair value as of the respective vesting dates of RSUs that vested during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was $814 million and $952 million, respectively.
	As of March 31, 2015, there was $8.93 billion of unrecognized share-based compensation expense, of which $8.06 billion is related to RSUs and $875 million is related to restricted shares, shares with performance conditions related to our contingent consideration liability, and stock options. This unrecognized compensation expense is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately three years.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	Our tax provision for interim periods is determined using an estimate of our annual effective tax rate, adjusted for discrete items arising in that quarter. In each quarter we update our estimate of the annual effective tax rate, and if our estimated annual tax rate changes, we make a cumulative adjustment in that quarter. Our quarterly tax provision, and our quarterly estimate of our annual effective tax rate, are subject to significant volatility due to several factors, including our ability to accurately predict our income (loss) before provision for income taxes in multiple jurisdictions, including the portions of our share-based compensation that will not generate tax benefits, and the effects of acquisitions and the integration of those acquisitions. In addition, our effective tax rate can be more or less volatile based on the amount of income before provision for income taxes.
	Our effective tax rate has exceeded the U.S. statutory rate primarily because of the effect of non-deductible share-based compensation and the impact of acquiring intellectual property and integrating it into our business. Our effective tax rate in the future will depend on the portion of our profits earned within and outside the United States, which will also be affected by our methodologies for valuing our intellectual property and intercompany transactions.
	We are subject to taxation in the United States and various other state and foreign jurisdictions. The material jurisdictions in which we are subject to potential examination include the United States and Ireland. We are under examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for our 2008 through 2010 tax years. We believe that adequate amounts have been reserved for any adjustments that may ultimately result from these examinations and we do not anticipate a significant impact to our gross unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months related to these years. Our 2011 through 2015 tax years remain subject to examination by the IRS and all tax years starting in 2008 remain subject to examination in Ireland.
	Our gross unrecognized tax benefits were $1.83 billion and $1.68 billion as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. If the gross unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2015 were realized in a future period, this would result in a tax benefit of $1.29 billion within our provision of income taxes at such time. Our existing tax positions will continue to generate an increase in unrecognized tax benefits in future periods.
	Although the timing of the resolution, settlement, and closure of any audits is highly uncertain, it is reasonably possible that the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits could significantly change in the next 12 months. However, given the number of years remaining that are subject to examination, we are unable to estimate the full range of possible adjustments to the balance of gross unrecognized tax benefits.

Geographical_Information

Geographical Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segments, Geographical Areas [Abstract]
Geographical Information	Geographical Information
	Revenue by geography is based on the billing address of the advertiser or developer. The following tables set forth revenue and property and equipment, net by geographic area (in millions):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Revenue:
	United States	$	1,652	$	1,129
	Rest of the world (1)	1,891		1,373
	Total revenue	$	3,543	$	2,502
	-1	No individual country, other than disclosed above, exceeded 10% of our total revenue for any period presented.
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Property and equipment, net:
	United States	$	3,900	$	3,256
	Sweden	509		514
	Rest of the world	210		197
	Total property and equipment, net	$	4,619	$	3,967

Summary_of_Significant_Account1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
	The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP.
	The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Facebook, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for the full year ending December 31, 2015.
	There have been no changes to our significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 that have had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates
	Conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates form the basis for judgments we make about the carrying values of our assets and liabilities, which are not readily apparent from other sources. We base our estimates and judgments on historical information and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. GAAP requires us to make estimates and judgments in several areas, including, but not limited to, those related to revenue recognition, collectability of accounts receivable, contingent liabilities, fair value of financial instruments, fair value of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, and income taxes. These estimates are based on management's knowledge about current events and expectations about actions we may undertake in the future. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Acquisitions_Tables

Acquisitions (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Schedule of Business Acquisitions, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	The following table summarizes the allocation of the fair values of net assets acquired during the three months ended March 31, 2015, including the related useful lives, where applicable:
		(in millions)			Useful lives (in years)
	Finite-lived intangible assets:
	Acquired technology	$	14		3
	Other	5			3
	Land acquired	379
	Other net tangible assets acquired	11
	Deferred tax liabilities	(2		)
	Net assets acquired	$	407
	Goodwill	26
	Total fair value consideration	$	433

Earnings_per_Share_Tables

Earnings per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Numerators and Denominators of Basic and Diluted EPS Computations for Common Stock	The numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPS computations for our common stock are calculated as follows (in millions, except per share amounts):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015				2014
		Class A		Class B		Class A		Class B
	Basic EPS:
	Numerator
	Net income	$	410	$	102	$	498	$	144
	Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	2		1		2		1
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	408	$	101	$	496	$	143
	Denominator
	Weighted average shares outstanding	2,241		561		1,982		574
	Less: Shares subject to repurchase	12		6		5		6
	Number of shares used for basic EPS computation	2,229		555		1,977		568
	Basic EPS	$	0.18	$	0.18	$	0.25	$	0.25
	Diluted EPS:
	Numerator
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	408	$	101	$	496	$	143
	Reallocation of net income attributable to participating securities	3		—		3		—
	Reallocation of net income as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	101		—		143		—
	Reallocation of net income to Class B common stock	—		3		—		7
	Net income attributable to common stockholders for diluted EPS	$	512	$	104	$	642	$	150
	Denominator
	Number of shares used for basic EPS computation	2,229		555		1,977		568
	Conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	555		—		568		—
	Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
	Employee stock options	9		9		15		15
	RSUs	37		11		41		20
	Shares subject to repurchase	6		3		8		5
	Number of shares used for diluted EPS computation	2,836		578		2,609		608
	Diluted EPS	$	0.18	$	0.18	$	0.25	$	0.25

Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents_and_1

Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities	The following table sets forth the cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities (in millions):
		March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Cash and cash equivalents:
	Cash	$	2,644	$	2,162
	Money market funds	775		2,153
	Total cash and cash equivalents	3,419		4,315
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	3,670		2,830
	U.S. government agency securities	3,575		2,710
	Corporate debt securities	1,749		1,344
	Total marketable securities	8,994		6,884
	Total cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities	$	12,413	$	11,199
Marketable Securities by Contractual Maturities	The following table classifies our marketable securities by contractual maturities (in millions):
		31-Mar-15
	Due in one year	$	4,631
	Due in one to two years	4,363
	Total	$	8,994

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis	The following table summarizes, for assets or liabilities measured at fair value, the respective fair value and the classification by level of input within the fair value hierarchy (in millions):
				Fair Value Measurement at
				Reporting Date Using
	Description	31-Mar-15		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant
				in Active		Other		Unobservable
				Markets for		Observable		Inputs
				Identical Assets		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Cash equivalents:
	Money market funds	$	775	$	775	$	—	$	—
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	3,670		3,670		—		—
	U.S. government agency securities	3,575		3,575		—		—
	Corporate debt securities	1,749		—		1,749		—
	Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	$	9,769	$	8,020	$	1,749	$	—
	Other liabilities:
	Contingent consideration liability	$	203	$	—	$	—	$	203
				Fair Value Measurement at
				Reporting Date Using
	Description	31-Dec-14		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant
				in Active		Other		Unobservable
				Markets for		Observable		Inputs
				Identical Assets		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Cash equivalents:
	Money market funds	$	2,153	$	2,153	$	—	$	—
	Marketable securities:
	U.S. government securities	2,830		2,830		—		—
	U.S. government agency securities	2,710		2,710		—		—
	Corporate debt securities	1,344		—		1,344		—
	Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	$	9,037	$	7,693	$	1,344	$	—
	Other liabilities:
	Contingent consideration liability	$	191	$	—	$	—	$	191

Property_and_Equipment_Tables

Property and Equipment (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and Equipment	Property and equipment consists of the following (in millions):
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Land	$	562		$	153
	Buildings	1,792			1,420
	Leasehold improvements	330			304
	Network equipment	3,118			3,020
	Computer software, office equipment and other	183			149
	Construction in progress	589			738
	Total	6,574			5,784
	Less: Accumulated depreciation	(1,955		)	(1,817		)
	Property and equipment, net	$	4,619		$	3,967

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets1

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill	The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are as follows (in millions):
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	17,981
	Goodwill acquired	26
	Effect of currency translation adjustment	(2		)
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	$	18,005
Intangible Assets	Intangible assets consist of the following (in millions):
				31-Mar-15							31-Dec-14
		Useful lives from date of acquisitions (in years)		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
	Finite-lived intangible assets:
	Acquired users	7-Mar		$	2,056	$	(159	)	$	1,897	$	2,056	$	(85	)	$	1,971
	Acquired technology	10-Feb		827		(187		)	640		813		(144		)	669
	Acquired patents	18-Feb		778		(262		)	516		773		(239		)	534
	Trade names	7-Feb		632		(75		)	557		632		(46		)	586
	Other	10-Feb		169		(65		)	104		164		(55		)	109
	Total finite-lived intangible assets			$	4,462	$	(748	)	$	3,714	$	4,438	$	(569	)	$	3,869
	Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
	In-process research and development (IPR&D)			$	60	$	—		$	60	$	60	$	—		$	60
	Total intangible assets			$	4,522	$	(748	)	$	3,774	$	4,498	$	(569	)	$	3,929
Estimated Amortization Expense for Unamortized Acquired Intangible Assets	As of March 31, 2015, expected amortization expense for the unamortized acquired intangible assets for the next five years and thereafter is as follows (in millions):
	The remainder of 2015	$	537
	2016	698
	2017	655
	2018	601
	2019	519
	Thereafter	704
	Total	$	3,714

Stockholders_Equity_Tables

Stockholders' Equity (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Stock Option Activity under Stock Plans	The following table summarizes the activities of stock option awards under the Stock Plans for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Shares Subject to Options Outstanding
		Number of		Weighted		Weighted-	Aggregate
		Shares		Average		Average	Intrinsic
				Exercise		Remaining	Value(1)
				Price		Contractual
						Term
		(in thousands)				(in years)	(in millions)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	12,984		$	4.78
	Stock options exercised	(829	)	0.49
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	12,155		$	5.08	3.64	$	938
	Stock options vested and expected to vest as of March 31, 2015	12,152		$	5.08	3.64	$	937
	Stock options exercisable as of March 31, 2015	9,257		$	2.88	3.09	$	734
	-1	The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option awards and the closing price of our Class A common stock of $82.22 on March 31, 2015.
Restricted Stock Units Award Activity	The following table summarizes the activities for our unvested RSUs for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Unvested RSUs(1)
		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Unvested at December 31, 2014	138,055		$	55.89
	Granted	22,334		77.82
	Vested	(10,745	)	42.63
	Forfeited	(1,425	)	46.14
	Unvested at March 31, 2015	148,219		$	60.25
	-1	Unvested shares include inducement awards issued in connection with an acquisition in 2014 and are subject to the terms, restrictions, and conditions of a separate non-plan RSU award agreement.

Geographical_Information_Table

Geographical Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segments, Geographical Areas [Abstract]
Revenue and Property and Equipment by Geographic Area	Revenue by geography is based on the billing address of the advertiser or developer. The following tables set forth revenue and property and equipment, net by geographic area (in millions):
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Revenue:
	United States	$	1,652	$	1,129
	Rest of the world (1)	1,891		1,373
	Total revenue	$	3,543	$	2,502
	-1	No individual country, other than disclosed above, exceeded 10% of our total revenue for any period presented.
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Property and equipment, net:
	United States	$	3,900	$	3,256
	Sweden	509		514
	Rest of the world	210		197
	Total property and equipment, net	$	4,619	$	3,967

Acquisitions_Details

Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Notes payable issued in connection with acquisition	$198	$0
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Goodwill	18,005		17,981
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Land acquired	379
Deferred tax liabilities	-2
Net assets acquired	407
Goodwill	26
Total fair value consideration	433
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | Acquired Technology
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets	14
Finite-lived intangible assets - Useful life	3 years
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | Other intangible assets
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets	5
Finite-lived intangible assets - Useful life	3 years
Other net tangible assets acquired | Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Net assets acquired	$11

Earnings_per_Share_Antidilutiv

Earnings per Share - Antidilutive Securities (Details) (Restricted Stock Units (RSUs))	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	0	3,000,000

Earnings_per_Share_Details

Earnings per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Numerator
Net income	$512	$642
Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	3	3
Net income attributable to common stockholders	509	639
Denominator
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	2,784	2,545
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Numerator
Net income attributable to common stockholders	509	639
Denominator
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	2,784	2,545
Number of shares used for diluted EPS computation (in shares)	2,836	2,609
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Class A Common Stock
Numerator
Net income	410	498
Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	2	2
Net income attributable to common stockholders	408	496
Denominator
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	2,241	1,982
Less: Shares subject to repurchase (in shares)	12	5
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	2,229	1,977
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Numerator
Net income attributable to common stockholders	408	496
Reallocation of net income attributable to participating securities	3	3
Reallocation of net income as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	101	143
Reallocation of net income to Class B common stock	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders for diluted EPS	512	642
Denominator
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	2,229	1,977
Conversion of Class B to Class A common stock (in shares)	555	568
Shares subject to repurchase (in shares)	6	8
Number of shares used for diluted EPS computation (in shares)	2,836	2,609
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Class A Common Stock | Employee Stock Options
Denominator
Share based payment arrangements (in shares)	9	15
Class A Common Stock | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Denominator
Share based payment arrangements (in shares)	37	41
Class B Common Stock
Numerator
Net income	102	144
Less: Net income attributable to participating securities	1	1
Net income attributable to common stockholders	101	143
Denominator
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	561	574
Less: Shares subject to repurchase (in shares)	6	6
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	555	568
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Numerator
Net income attributable to common stockholders	101	143
Reallocation of net income attributable to participating securities	0	0
Reallocation of net income as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A common stock	0	0
Reallocation of net income to Class B common stock	3	7
Net income attributable to common stockholders for diluted EPS	$104	$150
Denominator
Number of shares used for basic EPS computation (in shares)	555	568
Conversion of Class B to Class A common stock (in shares)	0	0
Shares subject to repurchase (in shares)	3	5
Number of shares used for diluted EPS computation (in shares)	578	608
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$0.18	$0.25
Class B Common Stock | Employee Stock Options
Denominator
Share based payment arrangements (in shares)	9	15
Class B Common Stock | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Denominator
Share based payment arrangements (in shares)	11	20

Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents_and_2

Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	security	security
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
Cash	$2,644	$2,162
Money market funds	775	2,153
Total cash and cash equivalents	3,419	4,315	2,998	3,323
Marketable securities	8,994	6,884
Total cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities	12,413	11,199
Number of securities in a continuous loss position for 12 months or longer	0	0
U.S. government securities
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
Marketable securities	3,670	2,830
U.S. government agency securities
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
Marketable securities	3,575	2,710
Corporate debt securities
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities
Marketable securities	$1,749	$1,344

Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents_and_3

Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities - Contractual Maturities of Debt Securities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Due in one year	$4,631
Due in one to two years	4,363
Total marketable securities	$8,994	$6,884

Fair_Value_Measurements_Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	$8,994	$6,884
Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability	12
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	9,769	9,037
Contingent consideration liability	203	191
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	8,020	7,693
Contingent consideration liability	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	1,749	1,344
Contingent consideration liability	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities	0	0
Contingent consideration liability	203	191
U.S. government securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,670	2,830
U.S. government securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,670	2,830
U.S. government securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,670	2,830
U.S. government securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
U.S. government securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
U.S. government agency securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,575	2,710
U.S. government agency securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,575	2,710
U.S. government agency securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	3,575	2,710
U.S. government agency securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
U.S. government agency securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
Corporate debt securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	1,749	1,344
Corporate debt securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	1,749	1,344
Corporate debt securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
Corporate debt securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	1,749	1,344
Corporate debt securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Marketable securities	0	0
Money Market Funds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Cash equivalents	775	2,153
Money Market Funds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Cash equivalents	775	2,153
Money Market Funds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Cash equivalents	0	0
Money Market Funds | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Cash equivalents	$0	$0

Property_and_Equipment_Detail

Property and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	$6,574,000,000		$5,784,000,000
Less: Accumulated depreciation	-1,955,000,000		-1,817,000,000
Property and equipment, net	4,619,000,000		3,967,000,000
Interest costs capitalized	0	0
Land
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	562,000,000		153,000,000
Buildings
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	1,792,000,000		1,420,000,000
Leasehold improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	330,000,000		304,000,000
Network equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	3,118,000,000		3,020,000,000
Computer software, office equipment and other
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	183,000,000		149,000,000
Construction in progress
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property and equipment, gross	$589,000,000		$738,000,000

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets2

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill
Goodwill beginning	$17,981
Goodwill acquired	26
Effect of currency translation adjustment	-2
Goodwill ending	18,005
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	4,462		4,438
Accumulated Amortization	-748		-569
Net Carrying Amount	3,714		3,869
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	60		60
Total intangible assets, Gross	4,522		4,498
Total intangible assets, Net	3,774		3,929
Amortization expense	179	41
Acquired users
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	2,056		2,056
Accumulated Amortization	-159		-85
Net Carrying Amount	1,897		1,971
Acquired technology
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	827		813
Accumulated Amortization	-187		-144
Net Carrying Amount	640		669
Acquired patents
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	778		773
Accumulated Amortization	-262		-239
Net Carrying Amount	516		534
Trade names
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	632		632
Accumulated Amortization	-75		-46
Net Carrying Amount	557		586
Other intangible assets
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount	169		164
Accumulated Amortization	-65		-55
Net Carrying Amount	$104		$109
Minimum | Acquired users
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	3 years
Minimum | Acquired technology
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum | Acquired patents
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum | Trade names
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum | Other intangible assets
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	2 years
Maximum | Acquired users
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	7 years
Maximum | Acquired technology
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	10 years
Maximum | Acquired patents
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	18 years
Maximum | Trade names
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	7 years
Maximum | Other intangible assets
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life	10 years

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets3

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Estimated Amortization Expense (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Amortization Expense, Maturity Schedule [Abstract]
The remainder of 2015	$537
2016	698
2017	655
2018	601
2019	519
Thereafter	704
Net Carrying Amount	$3,714	$3,869

Longterm_Debt_Details

Long-term Debt (Details) (Revolving Credit Facility, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility, USD $)	1 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2015
Revolving Credit Facility | 2013 Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument
Term loan facility, term period (in years)	5 years
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$6,500,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate basis during period	LIBOR
Basis spread on variable rate (percent)	1.00%
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage	0.10%
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding		$0

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Leases [Abstract]
Capital lease agreement period	3 years
Operating lease expense	$39	$29
Minimum
Leases [Abstract]
Interest rate	1.00%
Lease expiration year	2015
Maximum
Leases [Abstract]
Interest rate	13.00%
Lease expiration year	2030
Buildings
Leases [Abstract]
Capital lease agreement period	15 years

Stockholders_Equity_Sharebased

Stockholders' Equity - Share-based Compensation Plans (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Share-based employee compensation plans, number	2
2012 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
2012 equity incentive plan shares authorized	25,000,000
Shares reserved for issuance increase percentage	2.50%
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, expiration period (in years)	10 years
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, expiration period for plan (in years)	10 years
2012 Plan | Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Shares reserved for issuance increase date range	1-Jan-13
2012 Plan | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Shares reserved for issuance increase date range	1-Jan-22

Stockholders_Equity_Stock_Opti

Stockholders' Equity - Stock Option Activity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Employee Stock Options
Number of Shares
Beginning balance (in shares)	12,984
Stock options exercised (in shares)	-829
Ending balance (in shares)	12,155
Stock options vested and expected to vest as of period end (in shares)	12,152
Stock options exercisable as of period end (in shares)	9,257
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Beginning Balance (in dollars per share)	$4.78
Stock options exercised (in dollars per share)	$0.49
Ending Balance (in dollars per share)	$5.08
Stock options vested and expected to vest as of period end (in dollars per share)	$5.08
Stock options exercisable as of period end (in dollars per share)	$2.88
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term
Balance at period end (in years)	3 years 7 months 20 days
Stock options vested and expected to vest as of period end (in years)	3 years 7 months 20 days
Stock options exercisable as of period end (in years)	3 years 1 month 1 day
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Balance at period end	$938	[1]
Stock options vested and expected to vest as of period end	937	[1]
Stock options exercisable as of period end	$734	[1]
Class A Common Stock
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Common stock, closing share price (in usd per share)	$82.22
[1]	The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option awards and the closing price of our Class A common stock of $82.22 on MarchB 31, 2015.

Stockholders_Equity_Restricted

Stockholders' Equity - Restricted Stock Units (Details) (Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Number of Shares
Unvested at beginning of period (in shares)	138,055	[1]
Granted (in shares)	22,334
Vested (in shares)	-10,745
Forfeited (in shares)	-1,425
Unvested at end of period (in shares)	148,219	[1]
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested at beginning of period (in dollars per share)	$55.89
Granted (in dollars per share)	$77.82
Vested (in dollars per share)	$42.63
Forfeited (in dollars per share)	$46.14
Unvested at end of period (in dollars per share)	$60.25
Fair value of vested RSUs	$814		$952
[1]	(1)Unvested shares include inducement awards issued in connection with an acquisition in 2014 and are subject to the terms, restrictions, and conditions of a separate non-plan RSU award agreement.

Stockholders_Equity_Additional

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Award Disclosures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Future period share-based compensation expense	$8,930
Future period share-based compensation expense period of recognition (in years)	3 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Fair value of vested RSUs	814	952
Future period share-based compensation expense	8,060
Other Awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award
Future period share-based compensation expense	$875

Income_Tax_Details

Income Tax (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Billions, unless otherwise specified
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Unrecognized tax benefits	$1.83	$1.68
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	$1.29

Geographical_Information_Reven

Geographical Information - Revenue (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Revenue by Geographical Area
Revenue	$3,543		$2,502
United States
Revenue by Geographical Area
Revenue	1,652		1,129
Rest of the World
Revenue by Geographical Area
Revenue	$1,891	[1]	$1,373	[1]
[1]	No individual country, other than disclosed above, exceeded 10% of our total revenue for any period presented

Geographical_Information_Prope

Geographical Information - Property and Equipment, Net (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Long-Lived Assets By Geographical Area
Property and equipment, net	$4,619	$3,967
United States
Long-Lived Assets By Geographical Area
Property and equipment, net	3,900	3,256
Sweden
Long-Lived Assets By Geographical Area
Property and equipment, net	509	514
Rest of the World
Long-Lived Assets By Geographical Area
Property and equipment, net	$210	$197