Craig Newmark

Craig Newmark is a prominent American entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as the founder of Craigslist, an online classifieds website. Born in Morristown, New Jersey, he studied computer science at Case Western Reserve University. After graduating, he worked for IBM in their mainframes division for 17 years. In 1995, he started Craigslist, a simple online list of classifieds for San Francisco. Within two years, the site had grown to become a major online classifieds platform with a presence in several major cities across the U.S.

Today, Craigslist is one of the most used websites in the world and is credited with revolutionizing the classifieds industry. It remains free to use and continues to be run by Craig Newmark, who serves as its chairman. Newmark is also a noted philanthropist, having donated millions of dollars to causes related to veterans, the environment, education, and the media.

In addition to his work with Craigslist, Newmark is also an active investor and philanthropist. He has invested in numerous tech startups, including Twitter, Lyft, and Reddit. He has also established the Craig Newmark Foundation and the Craigconnects initiative, both of which have provided millions of dollars in grants and donations to organizations and causes dedicated to veterans and the environment.

Newmark is one of the most influential tech entrepreneurs of the 21st century and has been recognized for his work. He was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2006, and in 2018, he was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. He has also received awards from many major organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the New York Times, and the Smithsonian Institution.

In addition to his work with Craigslist, Newmark has also been actively involved in politics. He has spoken out in favor of Net Neutrality and has been a vocal supporter of several politicians and causes. He has also been an advocate for online privacy protection and has been an active supporter of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In 2020, the National Cyber Security Alliance honored him as a Digital Citizen of the Year.

Newmark is also a noted public speaker, having spoken at various conferences and events around the world. He is the author of the book Netiquette: Rules for Online Communication, which provides advice on how to use the internet in a polite and respectful manner. He is also a sought-after speaker and has given lectures at universities, corporations, and other organizations.