Mark Zuckerberg Nabs Four Houses In Bid For Privacy

Much in the same way his users seek privacy on the world's most popular social network, Mark Zuckerberg has made a hefty financial investment in a bid to retain privacy in his Palo Alto neighborhood. The well-off Facebook founder has reportedly bought four houses surrounding his own in the California neighborhood after news of a developer's plans reached him.

Reportedly, a developer had plans to buy one of the properties next to Zuckerberg, build a "huge house," and then advertise it to potential buyers as being a home next door to the Facebook founder. Such information comes from a source who spoke to the folks at Mercury News, saying it was this upcoming neighbor change that prompted Zuckerberg to acquire the new real estate.

The buy was said to total in excess of $30 million, and the source says that the houses will remain — that Zuckerberg has no ambitions to rebuild something larger on the land for himself. Rather, according to a person with information on the matter, the homes are being leased back to the families that already live there, making this a quasi investment/practicality move.

In other Zuckerberg news, last month the social network's head was quoted as saying that the aim of Facebook isn't to be cool. Instead, the founder considers Facebook as more of a utility, a service that users find as essential to their daily life as phone service and electricity. Such was stated in an interview with The Atlantic's chief editor James Bennet.

SOURCE: Mercury News