Abstract: A real-time messaging platform allows advertiser accounts to pay to insert candidate messages into the message streams requested by account holders. To accommodate multiple advertisers, the messaging platform controls an auction process that determines which candidate messages are selected for inclusion in a requested account holder's message stream. Selection is based on a bid for the candidate message, the message stream that is requested, and a variety of other factors that vary depending upon the implementation. The process for selection of candidate messages generally includes the following steps, though any given step may be omitted or combined into another step in a different implementation: targeting, filtering, prediction, ranking, and selection.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for detecting sources of computer network failures. One of the methods includes identifying a network flow in a computer network between a source and a destination; performing a first probe to determine whether there is end-to-end connectivity between the source and the destination; in response to determining that there is no end-to-end connectivity between the host and the destination, performing one or more additional probes including a second probe to determine whether each hop in the path of the network flow between the source and the destination is operational including requesting that the source transmit a respective first trace diagnostic packet to each hop in the path of the network flow; and determining whether at least one link of the computer network that is part of the path of the network flow has failed based on the results.

Abstract: A system for online conversion attribution. The system includes a short uniform resource locator (URL) service programmed to, in response to receiving a short URL from a device: provide a cookie that includes a short URL ID to the device, and provide a short URL descriptor including the short URL ID to a user mapping service. The system further includes the user mapping service programmed to receive the short URL descriptor, receive a social media descriptor including a social media ID, map the short URL ID to the social media ID using the short URL descriptor and the social media descriptor, and attribute, using the mapping, a conversion on a website accessed using the device based upon receipt of the short URL ID from the device.

Abstract: A method and system for capturing, sharing, viewing, and/or displaying one or more video videos. A user of a computing device performs a gesture involving contacting a touch sensitive display. In response, a video segment is captured while the user maintains contact with the touch sensitive display. Upon releasing contact with the touch sensitive display, recording of the video segment is ceased. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user may then record one or more additional video segments to be included in a video vignette.

Abstract: A method of operating a messaging platform, including: obtaining, for a first profile, a first and a second topic of interest, a first intra-profile (IP) weight for the first topic of interest, and a second IP weight for the second topic of interest; obtaining a first plurality of trending entities for the first topic and a first plurality of intra-topic (IT) weights for the first plurality of trending entities; obtaining a second plurality of trending entities for the second topic and a second plurality of IT weights for the second plurality of trending entities; selecting a subset of the first plurality of trending entities and the second plurality of trending entities based on the first IP weight, the second IP weight, the first plurality of IT weights, and the second plurality of IT weights; and sending content associated with the subset for display to a user of the first profile.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for load balancing between a set of servers. Subsets of servers from the set of servers are assigned, via deterministic subsetting, to respective clients from a set of clients. Unlike conventional load balancing techniques using deterministic subsetting, the disclosed techniques enable configuring a client to distribute different amounts of load among the servers in its server subset. Techniques for constructing the subsets are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time search assistance is provided. Incoming queries are analyzed and an in core set of query statistics is maintained to enable a current suggestion list to be generated. By analyzing each query as it occurs, the suggestion list and associated data stores may be updated in substantially real-time to enable suggestions to be available at the same time as new messages are occurring relating to the subject of the query.

Abstract: A system and method including: receiving, from a client device, an authorization request originating from an authorization module of an application executing on the client device, where the authorization request includes an identifier identifying the client device; causing transmission, based on the identifier, of a verification message to the client device, where the verification message includes a verification code; receiving a confirmation of the verification code from the authorization module of the application executing on the client device; authenticating the application based on the receiving the confirmation of the verification code; determining that the client device identified by the identifier corresponds to a user account including secure user data associated with a user; and transmitting a unique token verifying that the application is authorized to sign into the user account, where: the unique token uniquely identifies the user account to the application, and the secure user data is not shared w

Abstract: A method of displaying content in a computing device including a display. The method includes: displaying content on the display; detecting, by the display, a predefined gesture corresponding to an item in the content; displaying, concurrently with the item, additional content associated with the item.

Abstract: Implementations provide a structure for low-latency live-video streams using existing content delivery networks. An example method includes creating, at the start of a broadcast stream, a playlist for the broadcast stream that identifies at least two segment files. The content of each of the segment files is a table header. The method also includes transmitting the playlist and each of the segment files to a cache server, obtaining the video broadcast stream as a series of frames, and transmitting each frame in the series of frames to the cache server using an HTTP chunk transfer protocol, each frame being associated with, and written to, a first segment file identified in the playlist. When a frame in the broadcast stream is a break frame, the method includes transmitting an end of file marker for the first segment file and adding a video header for the break frame before it is transmitted.

Abstract: A messaging system automatically populates a stream of messages using only a seed selected by the requesting account holder. In one embodiment, the seed includes the streams of one or more of the “top” accounts of the messaging system. Here, “top” is according to any one of a number of different metrics stored in the messaging system. With knowledge of the seed, the messaging system automatically populates a stream for the requesting account holder, without requiring any other input. As a result, an account holder is provided with a fully functioning stream with very little effort or knowledge required on their part.

Abstract: Systems and methods generate a face-swapped image from a target image using a convolutional neural network trained to apply a source identity to the expression and pose of the target image. The convolutional neural network produces face-swapped images fast enough to transform a video stream. An example method includes aligning the face portion of a target image from an original view to a reference view to generate a target face and generating a swapped face by changing the target face to that of a source identity using a convolutional neural network trained to minimize loss of content from the target face and style from the source identity. The method also includes realigning the swapped face from the reference view to the original view and generating a swapped image by stitching the realigned swapped face with the remaining portion of the target image.

Abstract: A system and method for message analysis, including: receiving, from a client device, a reporting request identifying a first broadcasted message authored by a context account of a messaging platform; identifying, by a computer processor, engagement data corresponding to engagement with the first broadcasted message by a set of engaging accounts of the messaging platform that engaged with the first broadcasted message; generating, using the engagement data and by the computer processor, propagation data representing propagation of the first broadcasted message in a connection graph of the messaging platform; and providing the propagation data for the client device in response to the reporting request, where the client device is operable to display a visual representation of the propagation data.

Abstract: A system is described that receives first user identifiers from a first user space and a first set of hash values generated from a hash function applied to first information that identify users associated with the set of first user identifiers. The system determines a hash value included in both of the first set of hash values and a second set of hash values that are generated from the hash function being applied to second information that identify users associated with second user identifiers from a second user space. The system generates a mapping between the first user identifiers and the second user identifiers that each correspond to the same hash value. The system determines targeted information directed to the first user identifiers and based on the mapping, outputs the targeted information to user devices associated with the second user identifiers.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a computer-implemented method can include displaying a first user interface window on a touchscreen display of a computing device, where first user interface window includes a plurality of application icons associated with respective applications available for execution by the computing device. The computer-implemented method can further include detecting a touch input on the touchscreen display at a location associated with a first application icon from the plurality of application icons. The computer-implemented method can also include, in response to the touch input, displaying concurrently on the touchscreen display of the computing device a first portion of the first user interface window and a second portion of a second user interface window, wherein the second user interface window displays a user interface of the application associated with the first application icon.

Abstract: A method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium for identifying a relevant conversation. The method can include: identifying a conversation graph including identifiers of messages posted by a set of authoring accounts; identifying a relevance score for each authoring account; applying, by a computer processor, a first relevance filter to the conversation graph in order to modify the set of relevance scores; applying, by the computer processor and after applying the first relevance filter, a second relevance filter to the conversation graph in order to further modify the set of relevance scores; selecting, based on the set of relevance scores and after applying the second relevance filter, a subset of messages of the conversation graph for inclusion in the relevant conversation; and providing at least a portion of the relevant conversation to a client device.

Abstract: A messaging system includes features of gathering information regarding content accessed across multiple applications and/or devices and making that information available to account holders of the messaging system. The messaging system stores data related to accessed content in a plurality of indices and makes that data available to enable account holders to access previously-accessed content, even if the previous access occurred in a different software application, on a different device, or on a device with a different operating system. Account holders may also be provided with recommendations based on gathered information.

Abstract: A real time messaging platform identifies an audio snippet of a time-based media (TBM) event. The messaging platform maintains a real time repository of concurrently broadcasting TBM events as well as a historical repository of previously broadcast TBM events. These repositories contain acoustic fingerprints of their respective TBM events. The messaging platform matches an acoustic fingerprint of the audio snippet with one of the stored acoustic fingerprints to identify the TBM event in the recorded snippet. To identify the TBM event, the messaging platform matches multiple overlapping reference audio segments of the reference audio stream with multiple test audio segments of the audio snippet. This allows the platform to account for time delays between the test and reference audio segments that would otherwise hinder the matching process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for delegating authentication of an untrusted application executing on a client device. For delegated authentication, an untrusted application relies on a trusted application executing in the same environment for authentication purposes. The delegated authentication process avoids requiring the user of the untrusted application to provide authentication credentials. The disclosed system for delegating authentication enables any trusted application executing in the same computing environment to authenticate the untrusted application.

Abstract: A method for establishing a trust association includes receiving, by a server, a request to associate a web source with an account, the request having a link to the web source, and accessing, by the server, the web source in response to the request to associate. The method further includes locating, by the server and within the web source, a tag associated with the account, creating, by the server and in response to locating the tag within the web source, a trust association between the account and the web source, and providing, by the server, an indicating of the trust association for display in a user interface of a client device.

Abstract: A system and method for managing and displaying data messages includes a computing device configured to receive stream data, assign data messages of the stream data to one or more display columns of a graphical user interface, and display the data messages in the assigned columns. The stream data may be embodied as short data messages such as text messages having predetermined maximum character length. The data messages may be assigned to the display columns based on meta-data associated with the data messages such as the author of the data message, the source of the data message, and/or the type of the data message.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating typeahead. The method can include: identifying a set of topics and/or connected accounts; storing, based on one or more signals associated with a user account, a portion of the topics and/or connected accounts in a cache; and using the cache to provide typeahead suggestions to a client in response to a request associated with the user account.

Abstract: A system and method for providing content for broadcast by a messaging platform, including: receiving an identifier selected by a user of a client computing device during composition of a message; identifying a content provider associated with the identifier; providing, by a computer processor, a set of content items of the content provider for presentation by the client computing device, wherein the user of the client computing device selects a content item from the presented set of content items; and broadcasting the message with a reference to the selected content item to a plurality of accounts of the messaging platform.

Abstract: A method of displaying content in a computing device including a display. The method includes: displaying content on the display; detecting, by the display, a pinch gesture corresponding to an item in the content; displaying, concurrently with the item, a modal window including additional content associated with the item.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an experimentation system, or testing engine, for a real-time search infrastructure. An example method includes generating a snapshot of a production search environment and performing testing of a signal or index change in the snapshot. The change can be specified as parameters passed to the system. The method may include estimating an impact of the change based on the testing and determining, based on the estimate, whether the impact is positive. Responsive to determining the impact is positive the method may include generating a holdback environment of the production search environment, the holdback environment being a portion of the production search environment selected not to receive the change, pushing the change to the production search environment, and monitoring the change by running partial production traffic through the holdback environment.

Abstract: According to an implementation, a computing device for automatically creating video highlights for video broadcast streams shared in a social media platform includes at least one processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor are configured to execute a video broadcasting service having a video highlight creator. The video highlight creator is configured to obtain a video broadcast stream that was previously broadcasted to a plurality of viewing devices of the social media platform, create video highlights based on an analysis of the video broadcast stream, and provide the video highlights for selection within a user interface of an interactive streaming application configured to communicate with the video broadcasting service over a network.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for balancing storage resources in a distributed database. According to certain aspects, various hardware components may facilitate a three-stage technique including a node balancer technique, a shard balancer technique, and a replica balancer technique. The node balancer technique may create a set of pods from a set of nodes residing across a set of storage racks. The shard balancer technique may redistribute, among the set of pods, a portion of a set of shards assigned to respective pods of the set of pods. The replica balancer technique may, for each pod, distribute the set of replicas so that the replicas reside across the storage racks of that pod.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide live broadcasts with real-time feedback from viewers using mobile computing devices. An example method includes providing a live feed broadcast from a source mobile device to a plurality of viewing devices, receiving, during the live feed broadcast, an engagement from one of the plurality of viewing devices, and associating the engagement with a particular time in the live feed broadcast. The method also includes providing an indication of the engagement to the source mobile device, wherein the source mobile device displays a graphic representation of the engagement during the live feed broadcast and adding the indication of the engagement to the live feed so that a graphic representation is displayed during the live feed at the particular time to users of the plurality of viewing devices. The viewing user may each have a graph relationship with a user of the source mobile device.

Abstract: A method for using an in-message application. The method includes: receiving a broadcast message; identifying, in the broadcast message, a reference to an external data provider; obtaining an identifier of the in-message application from the external data provider; using the identifier to identify a set of components of the in-message application, where placement of the set of components is defined by a visual structure of the in-message application, and where each of the set of components is a user interface (UI) element; associating data obtained from the external data provider with a component of the set of components; and serving the broadcast message and the data to a consumer client, where the consumer client renders the in-message application based on the visual structure.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking callback functions for error identification is provided. Prior to a function calling a callback function, it records information relating to the back trace of function(s) that called the callback in a set of state information. In the event of an error condition, the state information may be examined to provide additional information for debugging purposes.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose an in-message application facilitating the use of third-party application programming interfaces (APIs). In particular, these in-message applications (referred to as “cards”) may be designed by a developer to access third-party API functionality. A user may then create a message referencing, e.g., a web address associated with the developer's card. The system may receive the user's message and recognize the reference. The system may then distribute an instantiation of the card to various recipients, the instantiation including elements generated using, or providing the user access to, the third party functionality.

Abstract: Systems and methods select and provide video snippets in a matrix interface. Example methods include obtaining a portion of a live video stream, assigning the portion to a class, determining that the portion is preview-eligible, and generating a snippet of the live video stream using the portion. Other example methods include determining, using a trained video classifier, a set of live broadcasts that have at least one portion that is classified as preview-eligible, calculating, for each of the live broadcasts in the set, an aggregate score for the live broadcast, selecting live broadcasts with highest aggregate scores, generating a snippet for each of the selected live broadcasts, and providing the snippets in a user interface. Methods may also include selecting portions of live video streams that are responsive to a user-provided parameter and generating a snippet for each live video stream that has a preview-eligible portion.

Abstract: A method for conversion attribution. The method includes obtaining a first identifier associated with a first device, obtaining a second identifier associated with a second device, bridging the first identifier and the second identifier based on a determination, made by a probabilistic classifier, that the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with a common user, and attributing, using the bridge, a conversion on a website accessed using the second device.

Abstract: Behavioral analysis of a mobile application is performed to determine whether the application is malicious. During analysis, various user interactions are simulated in an emulated environment to activate many possible resulting behaviors of an application. The behaviors are classified as hard or soft signals. A probability of the application being malicious is determined through combining soft signals, and the application is classified as malicious or non-malicious. Users of the application, the developer of the application, or a distributor of the application are notified of the application classification to enable responsive action.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for synchronising advertisements published on a group communications network with advertisements in a broadcast, the apparatus comprising: a receiver for receiving broadcast data; a communications interface in communication with a group communications network; a broadcast data content extractor adapted to derive, search terms and advert data from the received broadcast data, the advert data relating to an advert received in the broadcast data, wherein on receipt of a query by a user of the group communications network, the query comprising one or more of the search terms, the communications interface publishes a group communication comprising at least a portion of the advert data on the group communications network.

Abstract: A method involving obtaining a first plurality of topic groups (TGs), each having a membership of accounts, identifying a first plurality of accounts as authorities for an expertise topic, obtaining a second plurality of TGs with a number of accounts as members, wherein the first plurality of TGs comprises the second plurality of TGs, identifying a first frequent account which is a member in at least one of the second plurality of TGs, adding the first frequent account to the authorities of the expertise topic to obtain a second plurality of accounts as the authorities of the expertise topic, determining a third plurality of TGs in which a second number of accounts from the second plurality of accounts are members, determining that another frequent account is a member in one of the third plurality of TGs, and obtaining a ranking of accounts that are an authority on the expertise topic.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include receiving a video loop portion included in a video file and receiving an audio loop portion included in an audio file. The method can include analyzing at least a portion of the audio file based on a musical characteristic and identifying a plurality of segment locations within the audio file based on the analyzing where the plurality of segment locations define a plurality of audio segments of the audio file. The method can also include modifying the video loop portion based on one of the plurality of segment locations in the audio file.

Abstract: A method and system generates a model of a geographic area for use in identifying locations of the geographic area. A set of variably sized tiles is defined for each of a set of overlapping geometries in the geographic area. Each of the variably sized tiles is defined by a geohash, where the size of the tile is dependent on a granularity of the geohash. A geocode trie structure representing the variably sized tiles can be constructed and used to map one or more provided location coordinates to at least one of the geometries represented by the tiles.

Abstract: Techniques of playing back a looping video file involve providing multiple video codecs for decoding a video file. Each video codec performs its own decoding operation on the looping video file, resulting in multiple buffers of video frames and a buffer of audio frames. Then, as the GPU renders the ending video frames from a first buffer, it begins rendering the beginning video frames from a second buffer. In this way, the beginning of a next video cycle is already rendered for viewing by the time a current video cycle is ending.