Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. A plurality of filler images representing one or more participants is associated with a photo ad template having one or more photo wells. A photo advertisement based on the photo ad template is generated by an electronic device such that the associated plurality of filler images are inserted into the one or more photo wells in the photo ad template. A status update that includes the photo advertisement for presentation with the status update is initiated responsive to generating the photo advertisement.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing automatic social check-ins are disclosed. In one embodiment, in response to physical proximity between a user device and a venue-operated device located at a venue, an automatic check-in process is performed on behalf of a user of the user device. In one embodiment, the automatic check-in process is performed by first determining whether to perform an automatic check-in for the user of the user device at the venue based on one or more predefined automatic check-in rules and a user context and/or venue data that describes the venue. Upon determining that an automatic check-in is to be performed, a check-in for the user of the user device is performed to check the user into the venue via one or more check-in services.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo check-in process is performed for a user located within a geographic check-in zone which results in a photo advertisement that is utilized as a photo check-in for the user. In another embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. In another embodiment, photo advertisements are created by users and stored for subsequent use in serving ad requests.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. More specifically, first, one or more photo ad templates are obtained for the user, where each photo ad template includes one or more photo wells. A photo advertisement is then generated based on one of the photo ad templates such that a filler image of a different one of one or more participants identified for the photo advertisement is inserted into each of the one or more photo wells in the photo ad template. The photo advertisement is then used as a status update for the user. In another embodiment, the photo advertisement is stored and subsequently used to serve ad requests.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for performing automatic check-ins and/or generating and sending automatic status updates based on social context. As used herein, a social context of a user is generally any data that describes a location at which the user is currently located or users that are spatially proximate to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a computer server obtains and stores user-created photo advertisements. Each of the user-created photo advertisements is generated based on a corresponding photo ad template having one or more photo wells such that filler images of one or more participants are inserted into the one or more photo wells. For each user-created photo advertisement, the one or more participants include at least a user by which the photo advertisement was created. In addition, the computer server effects use of the stored user-created photo advertisements as sponsored advertisements.