Mark Zuckerberg is a dad! And he's marking the birth of his first child (and #GivingTuesday) with a promise to give away 99 percent of his shares in Facebook to make a brighter future.
In an open letter to Max, their newborn daughter, Zuckerberg, 31, and his wife Dr. Priscilla Chan, 30, pledged to give 99 percent of their shares in Facebook ā worth about $45 billion today ā over the course of their lifetime.
The letter has a sweeping vision, traversing social and political issues that are controversial. Zuckerberg writes:
"Children who face traumatic experiences early in life often develop less healthy minds and bodies...
"If you have to wonder whether you'll have food or rent, or worry about abuse or crime, then it's difficult to reach your full potential.
"If you fear you'll go to prison rather than college because of the color of your skin, or that your family will be deported because of your legal status, or that you may be a victim of violence because of your religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, then it's difficult to reach your full potential."
He then emphasizes how investments in technology in particular can solve these problems. He writes: "People often think of the internet as just for entertainment or communication. But for the majority of people in the world, the internet can be a lifeline."
[For more of this story, written by Aarti Shahani, go to http://www.npr.org/sections/th...to-give-away-fortune]
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