Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for determining why a first user has indicated a desire to associate with a second user in an online social network. The first user initiates a request to associate with the second user. When the request is received at the system of the subject technology, one or more signals related to how the first user discovered the second user in the social network are determined, and a message is generated based on the one or more signals. A notification is provided to the second user that includes the message and an indication of the request to convey why the first user indicated a desire to associate with the second user. In some aspects, the subject technology will determine and display, in the notification, common interests that the users share so that the notified user can better evaluate the request.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for determining why a first user has indicated a desire to associate with a second user in an online social network. The first user initiates a request to associate with the second user. When the request is received at the system of the subject technology, one or more signals related to how the first user discovered the second user in the social network are determined, and a message is generated based on the one or more signals. A notification is provided to the second user that includes the message and an indication of the request to convey why the first user indicated a desire to associate with the second user. In some aspects, the subject technology will determine and display, in the notification, common interests that the users share so that the notified user can better evaluate the request.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for generating a customized news collection based on social groups, the method comprising receiving an indication of one or more social groups associated with a user, wherein each of the one or more social groups is associated with the user's account in a social networking service, determining, one or more contacts associated with each of the identified one or more social groups at a social networking service, selecting a set of news items including one or more news items associated with the one or more identified contacts and generating a news collection including a number of the one or more news items of the set of news items for provision to a user.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for generating a customized news collection based on social groups, the method comprising receiving an indication of one or more social groups associated with a user, wherein each of the one or more social groups is associated with the user's account in a social networking service, determining, one or more contacts associated with each of the identified one or more social groups at a social networking service, selecting a set of news items including one or more news items associated with the one or more identified contacts and generating a news collection including a number of the one or more news items of the set of news items for provision to a user.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for generating a customized news collection based on social groups, the method comprising receiving an indication of one or more social groups associated with a user, wherein each of the one or more social groups is associated with the user's account in a social networking service, determining, one or more contacts associated with each of the identified one or more social groups at a social networking service, selecting a set of news items including one or more news items associated with the one or more identified contacts and generating a news collection including a number of the one or more news items of the set of news items for provision to a user.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for automatically generating an email filter based on social networking groups, including receiving an indication of one or more social groups associated with a user, wherein each of the one or more social groups is associated with the user's account in a social networking service, determining, using the one or more computing devices, one or more contacts associated with each of the one or more social groups associated with the user at the social networking service, determining, using the one or more computing devices, one or more email addresses corresponding to each of the one or more contacts, generating an email filter according to the one or more email addresses and applying the generated email filter to an email list of a user.