Abstract: A system and method for generating a stream of content for a channel. The channel application includes a content categorizer, a scoring engine and a channel engine. The content categorizer categorizes new content items received from heterogeneous data sources. The channel engine identifies a channel category for a user based at least in part on at least one of a historical trend and a user activity. The scoring engine queries the new content items based on the channel category and at least one other channel attribute. The scoring engine retrieves candidate content items that include the channel category and the other channel attribute. The scoring engine then generates a stream of content from the candidate content items for the channel.

Abstract: A system and method for providing or presenting secondary or embedded streams includes a primary stream generator, a secondary stream generator and a user interface engine. The primary stream generator generates the primary stream for the user and is coupled to a content source to extract data and coupled to provide the primary stream. The secondary stream generator generates a secondary stream for the user, is coupled to the content source to retrieve data and is coupled to provide the secondary stream. The user interface engine produces a user interface including a primary stream of content with an embedded secondary stream. The user interface engine is coupled to receive the primary stream from the primary stream generator and the secondary stream from the secondary stream generator. The present disclosure also includes a method for generating a user interface with an embedded stream.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving, at a server system of a social network and from a telephone service provider, information identifying members of a preferred calling group for a first user that is associated with the telephone provider. The sever system of the social network identifies the first user as a member of the social network. The server system of the social network identifies one or more of the members of the preferred calling group as being one or more members of the social network. The server system of the social network automatically defines a social network group that includes the one or more members of the preferred calling group who are members of the social network.

Abstract: A system for detecting and extending user engagement with stream content includes an engagement extension module that comprises a context identification module, an abandonment detection module, an engaging post generator and an injection module. The context identification module determines the interactions of the user with content stream and provides the user interaction signals to the abandonment detection module. The abandonment detection module analyzes these signals to determine whether there is a risk that the user may abandon or disengage from interacting with the content stream. The engaging post generator generates messages or other information likely to be interesting to the user and keep them engaged. If the abandonment detection module determines that there is a risk that the user may abandon or disengage from interacting with the content stream, the injection module adds a message or post generated by the engaging post generator into the content stream for the user.

Abstract: A system including a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to: receive a stream of content including a plurality of content items; retrieve a plurality of related content items; identify a topic for at least one of the plurality of the related content items; rank the topics by relevance to the user and one of the plurality of items; associate the topic to the content item in the stream of content where the topic is ranked as being relevant to the content item; generate a marker for the topic; generate an interface including the marker associated with the content item in the stream of content; and provide the interface for display.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying a plurality of items to be displayed to a user, each item including digital content and being associated with a respective timestamp, receiving a plurality of scores, each score being associated with an item of the plurality of items, determining a subset of items to be displayed to the user based on the plurality of scores, the subset of items including items of the plurality of items, grouping items in the subset of items based on respective timestamps to provide a plurality of item groups, for each item group, determining an order of items based on respective scores, and transmitting instructions to display items to the user based on the plurality of item groups and in the order within each item group.

Abstract: A plurality of content items for a content stream is determined by a system. The system estimates size dimensions for the content items, and determines a multidimensional layout by placing the content items into two or more adjacent containers based on the size dimensions. The system determines a difference in size between the two or more adjacent containers and adjusts an aspect of one or more of the content items to substantially equalize a size of the two or more containers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting, within a web page, a graphical representation of a content sharing interface including at least one button icon, receiving user input to the button icon, in response to the user input, expanding the content sharing interface to include an expanded content input area and a distribution interface, the expanded content input area displaying a graphical representation of digital content that is to be distributed, receiving user input to the distribution interface, the user input indicating contact(s) to which the digital content is to be distributed, in response to receiving the user input, displaying icon(s) within the distribution interface, the icon(s) being a graphical representation of the contact(s), and transmitting a post data set including digital content data and distribution data to a server computing system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying digital content to an author user, the author user having authored the digital content, receiving user input from the author user, the user input corresponding to the digital content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts that are able to access the digital content and the second data indicating one or more relationships between the author user and the contacts.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying content to a non-author user, receiving user input from the non-author user, the user input corresponding to the content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the non-author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts associated with an author user, the author user having authored the content, the second data being a sub-set of the first data and comprising a number of contacts associated with the non-author user.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving, at a server system of a social network and from a telephone service provider, information identifying members of a preferred calling group for a first user that is associated with the telephone provider. The sever system of the social network identifies the first user as a member of the social network. The server system of the social network identifies one or more of the members of the preferred calling group as being one or more members of the social network. The server system of the social network automatically defines a social network group that includes the one or more members of the preferred calling group who are members of the social network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting, within a web page, a graphical representation of a content sharing interface including at least one button icon, receiving user input to the button icon, in response to the user input, expanding the content sharing interface to include an expanded content input area and a distribution interface, the expanded content input area displaying a graphical representation of digital content that is to be distributed, receiving user input to the distribution interface, the user input indicating contact(s) to which the digital content is to be distributed, in response to receiving the user input, displaying icon(s) within the distribution interface, the icon(s) being a graphical representation of the contact(s), and transmitting a post data set including digital content data and distribution data to a server computing system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying content to a non-author user, receiving user input from the non-author user, the user input corresponding to the content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the non-author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts associated with an author user, the author user having authored the content, the second data being a sub-set of the first data and comprising a number of contacts associated with the non-author user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying digital content to an author user, the author user having authored the digital content, receiving user input from the author user, the user input corresponding to the digital content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts that are able to access the digital content and the second data indicating one or more relationships between the author user and the contacts.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving, at a server system of a social network and from a telephone service provider, information identifying members of a preferred calling group for a first user that is associated with the telephone provider. The sever system of the social network identifies the first user as a member of the social network. The server system of the social network identifies one or more of the members of the preferred calling group as being one or more members of the social network. The server system of the social network automatically defines a social network group that includes the one or more members of the preferred calling group who are members of the social network.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system for presenting a share box with content information in response to an endorsement includes an endorsement sharing module that is responsive to user input and creates a sharing box having content derived from the user context and input request. The endorsement sharing module receives a user request to share information. In response, this endorsement sharing module determines the context of the user, retrieves content based on the context, filters the content based on publisher information, personalizes the share box content, and adds the content to a share box. The endorsement sharing module also adds one or more actions to the share box after which the share box is provided for display to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for syndicating comments received by a gadget that is embedded on different websites using a conversation application. The conversation application includes an authorization module, a code generator, an identity generator, a profile engine, a content parser, a syndication module, an analysis engine, an advertising engine and a newsletter engine. The content parser receives a comment posted by a user from a gadget embedded on a website and identifies the user and the website identifier. The syndication module identifies other websites that include the gadget. The syndication module then syndicates the content on the gadget embedded on the other websites. The analysis engine determines an interest of the user. The advertising engine provides advertisements to the website based on the interest of the user. The newsletter engine generates and sends newsletters to the user based on the interest of the user.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving, at a server system of a social network and from a telephone service provider, information identifying members of a preferred calling group for a first user that is associated with the telephone provider. The sever system of the social network identifies the first user as a member of the social network. The server system of the social network identifies one or more of the members of the preferred calling group as being one or more members of the social network. The server system of the social network automatically defines a social network group that includes the one or more members of the preferred calling group who are members of the social network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying digital content to an author user, the author user having authored the digital content, receiving user input from the author user, the user input corresponding to the digital content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts that are able to access the digital content and the second data indicating one or more relationships between the author user and the contacts.