Abstract: A social networking system provides content items to a user via a feed that may include one or more sponsored content items. Multiple sponsored content items may be included in a set that is presented in the feed via a scrollable content unit that presents a sponsored content item from the set and presents additional sponsored content items from the set when user interaction is received. To place sponsored content items in the feed, the social networking system scores a set of sponsored content items based on prior user interactions with content presented via scrollable content units and a bid amount of a sponsored content item in the set. The set of sponsored content items is ranked among other sponsored content items based on its score. If the set of sponsored content items is selected for inclusion in the feed, the social networking system orders the sponsored content items in the set for presentation via the scrollable content unit.

Abstract: A system and method for augmenting video displayed via web browser to add interactive functionality is disclosed. Elements are included in a structured media definition to cause the video player to instantiate one or more new elements on a webpage when the media is played, including a first script that includes instructions to generate an interactive menu and second script, such that selection of any option from the interactive menu will call one or more application programming interface (API) functions of the second script. The structured media definition is transmitted to the web browser to cause loading of the video and execution of the instructions. A server backend receives and processes the API calls from the second script and transmits responses to the API calls to be acted upon by the script.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending a media item to a client computing device of a user; determining an interest level of the user for the media item, wherein the interest level is determined based on a duration of time for which the media item is played on the client computing device; and if the interest level of the user is greater than a threshold interest level, then sending, to the client computing device, a sponsored-content indicator indicating that a sponsored content item will be presented and causing the sponsored content item to be presented on the client computing device.

Abstract: There are disclosed systems and methods for facilitating communications between individuals and enterprises and in particular, to methods and systems for tracking and attributing customer and/or customer prospect online and offline communications in association with a marketing campaign.

Abstract: A processor receives requests for content items and identifies a first subset of machine learning (ML) models that satisfy a reliability criterion and a second subset of ML models that fail to satisfy the reliability criterion, wherein each ML model is associated with a respective content template and is trained to output a probability that a target associated with an input set of characteristics would perform a target action responsive to being presented with a content item generated based on the respective associated content template. For each request in a first group, the processor inputs the respective set of characteristics associated with the request into each ML model of the first subset, selects a content template, and generates a content item based on the selected content template. For each request in the second group, the processor generates a content item based on a content template associated with the second subset.

Abstract: Participation by multiple users in an online game through client computing platforms associated with the users is facilitated. User accounts associated with the users indicate affiliations having a functional significance between users. Presentation of offers to sell virtual items are provided to users having a first affiliation and to users having a second affiliation. The virtual items associated with the offers are distributed to the users having a first affiliation upon an indication that a threshold number of users having the first affiliation have accepted the offer and are not distributed to users having a second affiliation upon an indication that a threshold number of users having the second affiliation have not accepted the offer.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving an indication of a selection of a first advertisement included within a first content item from a communication device, transmitting terms of purchase associated with the first advertisement responsive to the receiving of the indication of the selection of the first advertisement, selecting a second content item based on an indication of the first content item and/or a context associated with the communication device, transmitting the second content item to the communication device responsive to the selecting of the second content item, obtaining an indication of a transaction completed for a purchase from the communication device, selecting a second advertisement responsive to the indication of the transaction, and transmitting the second advertisement to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for augmenting video media displayed via web browser to add interactive functionality is disclosed. The method begins with adding elements to a structured media definition to cause the media to instantiate one or more new elements on a webpage when the media is played, including a script that includes instructions to generate an interactive menu, such that selection of any option from the interactive menu will call one or more application programming interface (API) functions provided by a remote server. The structured media definition is transmitted to the web browser to cause it to load a video and execute the instructions. A server backend receives and processes API calls from the script when executed by the web browser; and transmits a response to the API call to the web browser to be acted upon by the script.

Abstract: One variation of a method for quantifying user engagement includes: serving a digital advertisement to a mobile device; recording a first proportion of pixels of the digital advertisement rendered on a display of the mobile device during a first sampling period; recording a second proportion of pixels of the digital advertisement rendered on the display of the mobile device during a second sampling period offset in time from the first sampling period; calculating a cumulative pixel exposure of the digital advertisement at the mobile device based on a combination of a first product of the first proportion of pixels and a duration of the first sampling period and a second product of the second proportion of pixels and a duration of the second sampling period; and storing the cumulative pixel exposure as an engagement metric for a user consuming the digital advertisement at the mobile device.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising, checking, at a first node, for receipt of an advertisement message from a second node within an advertisement time interval (102), wherein the first node acts as a backup for the second node in a network. The method further comprises, in response to not receiving the advertisement message within the advertisement time interval (104), sending a probe message to the second node (106) and checking for a response to the probe message from the second node (108).

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for generating curated In-Real Life (IRL) media data for distribution via third-party multimedia platform(s), and further providing an engagement entity (i.e., producer, merchant, or curator) with a recommendation to solicit an interaction with another engagement entity. Particularly, an IRL-Media Platform Analytics (IRL-MPA) system is described that can create curated IRL-media data by refining a presentation of raw IRL-media data, and further embedding product-service offerings and engagement requests. The IRL-MPA system may configure the curated IRL-media data for playback on one or more third-party platforms, such that a viewing audience member may respond to an engagement request embedded within the curated IRL-media data.

Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods are provided. A machine learning model may be trained using a plurality of sets of information. One or more pruning operations may be performed in association with the training to generate a machine learning model with a sparse set of field weights associated with feature fields associated with features of the plurality of sets of auction information. A request for content associated with a client device may be received. A set of features associated with the request for content may be determined. Positive signal probabilities associated with a plurality of content items may be determined using the machine learning model based upon field weights, of the machine learning model, associated with the set of features. A content item may be selected from the plurality of content items for presentation via the client device based upon the positive signal probabilities.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments for presenting a group of advertisements within media content by a software application on a display communicatively coupled to the communication device resulting in a presentation of the group of advertisements, and operating a virtual assistant application simultaneously with the software application. Further embodiments include detecting voice input from a user associated with the communication device using a voice recognition technique utilized by the virtual assistant application, identifying first user data based on the voice input associated with a group of advertising entities associated with the group of advertisements, and obtaining information regarding the group of advertising entities based on the first user data. Additional embodiments include determining a group of recommended actions according to the information regarding the group of advertising entities, and providing the user with the group of recommended actions.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in a search system supported by or configured with search servers or platforms. The systems interact to identify and retrieve data across platforms, which data can be used to improve the quality of results data used in processing interactions between or among processors in such systems. The disclosed systems and methods provide a Deep Fast Search (DFS) that improves content search accuracy that executes independent of the search database, while achieving an increased content retrieval speed. The disclosed systems and methods employ two complementary deep feature searches: 1) a coarse deep feature search and a 2) fine deep feature search. Thus, the disclosed systems and methods employ a coarse-to-fine strategy that embodies the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the coarse deep feature search and the accuracy of the fine deep feature search.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods integrate gaming functionality with viewing a video program. Systems and methods for generating an interactive multimedia game for a user during the viewing of a video program by the user includes a host computer that generates the game in a context of the video program viewed on a first graphical user interface and recommends the video game to the user. The user may opt to engage with the video game on a second graphical user interface, which may be overlaid on the first graphical user interface.

Abstract: One or more aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a digital social medial platform configured to automatically identify and tag elements in an upload content using machine learning techniques. In one aspect, a method includes receive media content; automatically identify one or more elements and associated metadata in the media content using a machine learning technique; embed one or more hashtags within the media content, each of which corresponds to one of the one or more elements identified in the media content; publish the media content with the one or more hashtags; track engagements of one or more users with the media content having the one or more hashtag to yield a set of statistics; and generate a user-specific loyalty identifier for a user associated with the media content, based on the set of statistics.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing advertisements for display to users comprising receiving a request for an advertisement wherein the request comprises information about a user to whom the advertisement is to be displayed; determining at least one community of which the user is a member; determining a conditional probability that the user will interact with the advertisement; responsive to the conditional probability exceeding a threshold, determining community data to present with the advertisement and providing for display to the user the advertisement and the community data; responsive to the providing of the advertisement, receiving an indication of activity at a client system related to the advertisement or community data; and storing the indication in a storage medium.

Abstract: Methods and corresponding systems are provided for configuring communications to customers when there are multiple campaigns scheduled in a given period. An optimal number of communications are sent prioritized according to business or performance measures where send times are spaced out in a manner that strives to attain the highest value. An example method includes determining a number of electronic communications, for a plurality of campaigns to send to the particular customer during a particular time period; determining the optimal send time during the particular time period; determining for which campaigns the particular customer is eligible; for each determined optimal time: determining a strategy including selecting an electronic communication for one of the campaigns to send to the eligible particular customer so as to maximize the value over the particular time period; and causing the selected electronic communication to be sent to the particular customer at the determined optimal time.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for demographic prediction based on aggregated training data. The predictions are based on auditing aggregated data associated with identified properties of web requests. The audited information is based on a batch of prior web requests that have the same property and have been audited by a measurement company.

Abstract: A method, including receiving, from a consumer, a client device identification though an application running in a client device, is provided. The method includes matching the client device identification with a loyalty card for a retail store, identifying a shopping history for consumer, associated with the retail store, in a database, based on the loyalty card, and requesting, through the application, an information from consumer, based on the shopping history. The method further includes verifying the identity of consumer when at least a portion of the information matches the shopping history associated with the retail store, for consumer, and providing an offer to consumer, through the application running in the client device, of a product in the retail store. A system and a non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions to perform the above method are also provided.