Abstract: In particular embodiments a social networking system may receive from an external system outside the social-networking system, a request comprising a user identifier associated with a user of the social-networking system, query a social graph for stories generated by one or more connections of the user on the social-networking system, and transmit the stories to the external system. Similarly the social networking system may receive, from an external system outside of the social networking system, a request comprising a user identifier associated with a user of the social networking system, a content identifier, and a action performed by the user on the content identifier, generate a story for the received request, and publish the story to one or more connections of the user on the social networking system.

Abstract: A social networking system identifies an event based on a thread including messages from users of the social networking system and communicates invitations to the event to one or more invited users. The social networking system receives a response to an invitation from a responding user and identifies a group of users invited to the event that have not responded to the invitation. From the users invited to the event that have not responded to the invitation, a subset of users having a threshold affinity to the responding user are selected. The social networking system notifies the subset of users of the responding user's response to the invitation and may also provide the subset of users with a suggestion for attending the event.

Abstract: A time a user of a client application is likely to access a preferred network connection is predicted. A pre-download index for one or more multimedia content items is calculated, where the pre-download index represents how likely the user is to interact with the one or more multimedia content items at approximately the predicted time. The indexed multimedia content items are ranked based on the pre-download index of each of the one or more multimedia content items. The ranked multimedia content items are provided to the client application at the predicted time.

Abstract: In particular embodiments a social networking system may receive from an external system outside the social-networking system, a request comprising a user identifier associated with a user of the social-networking system, query a social graph for stories generated by one or more connections of the user on the social-networking system, and transmit the stories to the external system. Similarly the social networking system may receive, from an external system outside of the social networking system, a request comprising a user identifier associated with a user of the social networking system, a content identifier, and a action performed by the user on the content identifier, generate a story for the received request, and publish the story to one or more connections of the user on the social networking system.

Abstract: A social networking system presents questions to a user on an interface associated with the social networking system to elicit information about the user that is missing from the user's profile or is otherwise outdated. The questions are selected based on a number of factors, such as the need for or value of the information item, probability of a response, or cost of collecting the information item. In presenting the selected question, the social networking system prompts a user for information about the user in a an interface associated with a page from the social networking system, an application external to the social networking system, or using a push notification or prompt. The questions may be formatted in various ways, such as an explicit question, confirmation, a selection of responses, or social context to encourage the user to respond to the question.

Abstract: A social networking system allows a user to insert media information into content posted by the user, where the media information identifies a media item that the user is consuming while composing the posted content. When a user of a social networking system composes content via a composer interface, the user may select an option on the composer interface to record audio using a microphone on the user's device. A media item is identified from the recorded audio and information about the identified media item is added to the user's posted content. The system may also update information about the identified media item and the composing user.

Abstract: A social networking system presents questions to a user on an interface associated with the social networking system to elicit information about the user that is missing from the user's profile or is otherwise outdated. The questions are selected based on a number of factors, such as the need for or value of the information item, probability of a response, or cost of collecting the information item. In presenting the selected question, the social networking system prompts a user for information about the user in a an interface associated with a page from the social networking system, an application external to the social networking system, or using a push notification or prompt. The questions may be formatted in various ways, such as an explicit question, confirmation, a selection of responses, or social context to encourage the user to respond to the question.

Abstract: A social networking system allows a user to insert media information into content posted by the user, where the media information identifies a media item that the user is consuming while composing the posted content. When a user of a social networking system composes content via a composer interface, the user may select an option on the composer interface to record audio using a microphone on the user's device. A media item is identified from the recorded audio and information about the identified media item is added to the user's posted content. The system may also update information about the identified media item and the composing user.

Abstract: A social networking system allows a user to create an event in the social networking system while viewing a web page from a third-party website from a domain different than the social networking system. A widget or other social plug-in is included in the web page, and user interaction with the widget communicates information from the web page to the social networking system. An event object is created in the social networking system from the information from the web page. The social networking system may perform various actions to increase user interaction with the created event object, such as identifying additional users to invite the event or identifying users attending the event to other users.

Abstract: A social networking system allows a user to create an event in the social networking system while viewing a web page from a third-party website from a domain different than the social networking system. A widget or other social plug-in is included in the web page, and user interaction with the widget communicates information from the web page to the social networking system. An event object is created in the social networking system from the information from the web page. The social networking system may perform various actions to increase user interaction with the created event object, such as identifying additional users to invite the event or identifying users attending the event to other users.

Abstract: In one embodiment, one or more computing devices receive, from one or more mobile devices respectively associated with one or more users, one or more sets of data, wherein each set of data comprises: a user identifier indicating to which user the set of data corresponds; a location where the corresponding user was at; and a time when the corresponding user was at the location. The computing devices store the one or more sets of data; and extract one or more statistics from the one or more sets of data that represent behavioral pattern of at least one of the one or more users.

Abstract: In one embodiment, one or more computing devices receive, from one or more mobile devices respectively associated with one or more users, one or more sets of data, wherein each set of data comprises: a user identifier indicating to which user the set of data corresponds; a location where the corresponding user was at; and a time when the corresponding user was at the location. The computing devices store the one or more sets of data; and extract one or more statistics from the one or more sets of data that represent behavioral pattern of at least one of the one or more users.

Abstract: A method of limiting presentation of rules based events includes receiving a request to view a rules based event at a computer. A first estimate of a first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The first estimate includes a first confidence determination. If the first confidence determination is less than a first established confidence level, a second estimate of the first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The second estimate includes a second confidence determination for comparison to a second established confidence level. The first estimate and the second estimate define a composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Information on a second geographic location of the rules based event is retrieved. The retrieved information is compared with the composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Access to the rules based event is provided based on access rules, the comparison, and the composite estimated geographic location.

Abstract: A composer interface provided by a social networking system allows a user to provide input, such as text data, to the social networking system. The composer interface allows the user to identify an action and/or an object related to the input. An action is structured data describing a relationship between objects defined by the social networking system. Based on the action identified as related to the input, the social networking system stores an association between the received input and the identified action.

Abstract: A social graph may be modeled as a collection of claims. Each claim is associated with an author, an audience, and an assertion about a fact. Probabilistic information may be collected from various sources for a claim, enabling a social networking system to evaluate a truthfulness of the assertion made in the claim. User-declared profile information may be evaluated as claims. A user, entity, or application may make claims about any assertions made in the social networking system. Reputation scores may be determined for users based on evaluations of their historical assertions. Claims may be evaluated for truthfulness using a probabilistic prediction model using heuristics analysis, regression analysis, and machine learning methods. A claims-based profile of users may be provided to viewers based on the contexts in which the claims were made. Viewers may view claims made about users, such as the users' biographical information, contact information, expertise, and interests.

Abstract: A system is provided for selectively presenting a portion of an event to a user. The system includes a first device, a second device, and a network allowing communication between the first and the second device. An application at the first device displays a plurality of sub-events that characterize an event; receives an input from a user whereby the user selects a sub-event from the plurality of sub-events; sends a request to a second device, the request comprising information associated with the selected sub-event; receives media data from the second device whereby the media data represents the selected sub-event; and presents the received media data. An application at the second device receives the request from the first device, selects the media data that represents the selected sub-event from a database using the information associated with the selected sub-event, and sends the selected media data to the first device.

Abstract: A social networking system presents questions to a user on an interface associated with the social networking system to elicit information about the user that is missing from the user's profile or is otherwise outdated. The questions are selected based on a number of factors, such as the need for or value of the information item, probability of a response, or cost of collecting the information item. In presenting the selected question, the social networking system prompts a user for information about the user in a an interface associated with a page from the social networking system, an application external to the social networking system, or using a push notification or prompt. The questions may be formatted in various ways, such as an explicit question, confirmation, a selection of responses, or social context to encourage the user to respond to the question.

Abstract: Advertisements are served to users of an online system. An ad may be given a greater value if a user is near more friends, more people who have a specific interest, more people who have a high affinity for a brand, and/or surrounded by more people in general. Therefore, an ad system increases the price of serving an ad to a user based on how many other people who fit these criteria are near the user.

Abstract: An online system, such as a social networking system, may determine user trends and identify actions to be taken by users that may help optimize revenue for an advertiser. A social networking system may generate offers for an advertiser based on the user trends, user characteristics, and claims about users where the offers include actions determined by the social networking system that users may take to help optimize revenue for advertiser. Venues may also sell ad space, ad inventory, and real-time customer data to advertisers through a social networking system.

Abstract: An advertiser “buys” a venue by controlling something in the environment of a venue, e.g., playing music in a bar, changing the channel of a TV, changing drink specials, changing coupons in a store, or subsidizing transport to the venue (e.g., cab fare). The advertiser then advertises to people in the venue, where the ad is based on the thing that was controlled (e.g., an ad for the album for the song that was played in the bar). The ad may be served to users of a social networking system currently located at the venue through a user interface on the social networking system, a display screen at the venue, a mobile ad network, or another ad distribution mechanism.