After 14 years of rapid growth and endless controversies, Sheryl Sandberg will depart Facebook and its parent company, Meta, in the fall, she announced on Wednesday. “Sitting by Mark’s side for these 14 years has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime,” the executive wrote in a long message on her Facebook page. “He was just 23 and I was already 38 when we met, but together we have been through the massive ups and downs of running this company.” In her statement, Sandberg acknowledged that the public debate about social media's impact on society has changed dramatically since she joined the company. “To say it hasn’t always been easy is an understatement. But it should be hard. The products we make have a huge impact,” she wrote. Sandberg said that she is still determining next steps but will spend more time on her foundation, philanthropic work, and her family.