Abstract: A social networking system uses information that it obtains from and about its users to select social networking content and advertising for presentation to users in a way that optimizes for one or more optimization goals. Example optimization goals include monetization, user sharing, user engagement, system growth, and user communication. The social networking system may select social networking content and advertising based on their relevance to a particular user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be related to each other to provide a more interesting display to the user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be presented in a supplemental portion of a display, and be selected based on their relatedness to content in the main portion of the display.

Abstract: A social networking system uses information that it obtains from and about its users to select social networking content and advertising for presentation to users in a way that optimizes for one or more optimization goals. Example optimization goals include monetization, user sharing, user engagement, system growth, and user communication. The social networking system may select social networking content and advertising based on their relevance to a particular user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be related to each other to provide a more interesting display to the user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be presented in a supplemental portion of a display, and be selected based on their relatedness to content in the main portion of the display.

Abstract: A social networking system uses information that it obtains from and about its users to select social networking content and advertising for presentation to users in a way that optimizes for one or more optimization goals. Example optimization goals include monetization, user sharing, user engagement, system growth, and user communication. The social networking system may select social networking content and advertising based on their relevance to a particular user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be related to each other to provide a more interesting display to the user. The selected social networking content and advertising may be presented in a supplemental portion of a display, and be selected based on their relatedness to content in the main portion of the display.

Abstract: Advertisements to be presented to a user are selected based on feedback responses received from other users where the feedback responses represent the level of interest to the advertisements expressed by the other users. In selecting which advertisements to be presented to a user, the online service takes into account feedback responses previously collected from a group of users and revenue expected for presenting certain advertisements to the user. An online service computing device computes a total value of an advertisement based on an estimated revenue value for presenting an advertisement and a modifier representing the user's estimated interest in the advertisements. The online service then selects or prioritizes the advertisements based on the total values. Advertisements with more positive feedback responses and/or less negative feedback responses tend to have higher total values, and therefore, such advertisements are more likely to be selected for presentation to the users.

Abstract: A method for collectively purchasing a gift in a social network environment is described. A request is received to establish a gift account, a recipient user of the social network environment is designated to receive the gift, and the gift is selected. Money is received from a plurality of contributing users for deposit into the gift account, and the selected gift is purchased using the money deposited in the gift account. The purchased gift is then provided to the recipient user.

Abstract: In a social networking system environment, users can give another user credits, a scarce commodity, as part of commenting on content posted by the other user. These credits can be used as a peer-to-peer recommendation signal, and they can also be used as input to a decision engine that determines what content to display in a highlights section that will be viewed by a wider audience and increasing the likelihood of further engagement with the content. Credits in a social networking system environment have scarcity value. In various embodiments, in order to increase the number of credits in the system, users buy them or an administrator distributes them. In some implementations, the total amount of credits in the system can decrease if a user cashes out the credits for real money. In some implementations, credits can be used to buy virtual or real-world gifts.

Abstract: A social network advertises to its members with engagement interfaces. An engagement interface comprises a call to action and a link to perform the action within the social network from within the engagement interface. Responsive to a user selection of the link to perform the action, the engagement interface modifies one or more objects within the social network associated with the call to action according to the selection of the link to perform the action. The engagement interface may be refreshed on the user's screen to indicate to the user that the action has been performed. An engagement interface may also be presented to a user from the social network or from an external system apart from the social network.

Abstract: A method and system to implement an electronic personal training is provided. According to an example embodiment, personal goals for fitness and health-related activities may be recorded, tracked, and provided, using personal electronic devices. The personal electronic devices may receive and store input from objects (e.g., exercise equipments or food items) in an environment (e.g., a fitness center or a supermarket) and output relevant personal information about the activity currently being input (e.g. on a digital screen, pre-stored version of a human voice, etc.). The portable electronic devices may periodically communicate data with a system located on a communications network, where the fitness data may be processed to provide individual and group reports (e.g. email sent to person, membership trends to gyms, account history available online). A user may set or modify his or her goals by accessing the system via the portable electronic device or a user computer.

Abstract: A method for collectively purchasing a gift in a social network environment is described. A request is received to establish a gift account, a recipient user of the social network environment is designated to receive the gift, and the gift is selected. Money is received from a plurality of contributing users for deposit into the gift account, and the selected gift is purchased using the money deposited in the gift account. The purchased gift is then provided to the recipient user.

Abstract: A system and method is described for giving gifts via a social network and displaying icons representing assets that have been acquired via the social network. In various embodiments, the assets include real assets, digital assets, and virtual assets. Digital assets that have been acquired via the social network environment may also be displayed. In some embodiments, the assets are received as gifts or in trade from another user of the social network environment.

Abstract: A selling method and system that allows individuals or groups to interactively select associate products and services with their online presence in exchange for the online service, as part of an online service, or for some reward, monetary or otherwise. Individuals or groups select products and services from a pool of partner e-commerce retailers or import them from their purchasing histories based on personal preference and may use them as a means of expression for their online audience as part of an online service. This provides e-commerce retailers with self-selected targeted marketing and referral selling to affinity groups, the online version of word of mouth selling. E-commerce retailers share revenue and pay for referrals that occur via this word of mouth selling framework. Online services that have any form of user identity within the context of a larger audience may utilize this form of user based referral selling as a revenue generating tool.

Abstract: A content collection, sharing, and tracking method and system allows individuals or groups to incorporate the content of one another into their own context for creative referenced re-use. Users browse the content of other users and add content to a tool known as a GRAB BAG. Users may be part of affinity groups such as social networks or have common interests such as an interest in a single Internet auction site. The GRAB BAG storage system keeps track subsequent revisions and contexts for the piece of content in all instances where it is grabbed. When users incorporate the content they have grabbed into their own content, it appears with a link to the original author as well as with links to track the dissemination of the original content. The GRAB BAG storage system is created to reference content so that identical items under two different contexts need not be duplicated in full.

Abstract: A method for creating networking database containing a plurality of records for different individuals in which individuals are connected to one another in the database by mutual recognition of a relationship. This mutual recognition of a relationship is inferred by the possession of the Guest Key of one member by the other member. This paradigm for network expansion allows users to proactively grow their networks both using the site features and using tools they may be more familiar with, such as email, messaging, talking, etc.

Abstract: An advertising method and system allows individuals or groups to interactively select brands from a service provider to associate with their online presence in exchange for the online service, as part of an online service, or for some reward, monetary or otherwise. Individuals or groups select brands from a pool of advertisers based on personal preference and may use them as a means of expression for their online audience as part of an online service. This provides advertisers with self-selected targeted marketing to affinity groups, the online version of word of mouth advertising. Information regarding the online activity of these individuals or groups, including their audience, reach, and influence is used by the service provider in order to calculate the cost to the participating brand advertisers for supplying their advertisements to the service provider's pool as well as to solicit new brand advertisers for the pool.