Abstract: An example system for device-independent point to multipoint communication is configured to receive a message addressed to one or more destination users, the message type being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web form input, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system also is configured to determine information about the destination users, the information comprising preferred devices and interfaces for receiving messages, the information further including message receiving preferences. The system applies rules to the message based on destination user information to determine the message endpoints, the message endpoints being, for example, Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Messaging (IM), E-mail, web page output, or Application Program Interface (API) function call. The system translates the message based on the destination user information and message endpoints and transmits the message to each endpoint of the message.

Abstract: A method of operating a messaging platform, including: obtaining, for a first profile, a first and a second topic of interest, a first intra-profile (IP) weight for the first topic of interest, and a second IP weight for the second topic of interest; obtaining a first plurality of trending entities for the first topic and a first plurality of intra-topic (IT) weights for the first plurality of trending entities; obtaining a second plurality of trending entities for the second topic and a second plurality of IT weights for the second plurality of trending entities; selecting a subset of the first plurality of trending entities and the second plurality of trending entities based on the first IP weight, the second IP weight, the first plurality of IT weights, and the second plurality of IT weights; and sending content associated with the subset for display to a user of the first profile.

Abstract: Time-based media is distributed and promoted in a social networking environment. Accounts of a social networking system author social media content items (SMCIs) from which a social networking system infers relevance of content to users of those accounts. Content distributors submit time-based media content to the social networking system, which creates distributor SMCIs containing the time-based media content. Accounts are identified to receive distributor SMCIs based on SMCIs previously authored by those accounts as well as identifying information and the subject of the SMCI. Content promoters may add promotional material to distributor SMCIs, which the social networking service sends to additional accounts.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing dynamic control of social messaging platform client-side and server-side behavior according to current and historical environmental, service, and application conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to messaging platforms, and relates more particularly to data storage such that random sampling can be accomplished in real-time in messaging platforms. Aspects of the present invention include storing a bipartite graph with associations of two node types. The graph can be stored as a power law graph. The graph can be used to provide real-time content recommendations in a messaging platform. The content recommendations can be provided using random sampling of the node types stored in the graph.

Abstract: A messaging system automatically populates a stream of messages using only a seed selected by the requesting account holder. In one embodiment, the seed includes the streams of one or more of the “top” accounts of the messaging system . Here, “top” is according to any one of a number of different metrics stored in the messaging system. With knowledge of the seed, the messaging system automatically populates a stream for the requesting account holder, without requiring any other input. As a result, an account holder is provided with a fully functioning stream with very little effort or knowledge required on their part.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include receiving a video loop portion included in a video file and receiving an audio loop portion included in an audio file. The method can include analyzing at least a portion of the audio file based on a musical characteristic and identifying a plurality of segment locations within the audio file based on the analyzing where the plurality of segment locations define a plurality of audio segments of the audio file. The method can also include modifying the video loop portion based on one of the plurality of segment locations in the audio file.

Abstract: Two different user spaces can be mapped to each other based on one or more categories of information that are common to both. The mapping is based on hash values generated by applying the same hash function to the same information of the categories of information that identifies users in each user space.

Abstract: Techniques of the disclosure are directed to sending and receiving messages that allow for content providers to interact with potential recipients and customers. An information distribution system may receive a first message from a content provider via a first client device that includes targeted content, such as a string of characters, an image, a video, and/or some other form of media. The targeted content may also include tags, such as hashtags, which identify or otherwise associate a particular topic with the user-generated content. Further, the targeted content may include a selectable graphical user interface element that a user reading the content may interact with on a second client device. If the user selects the selectable graphical user interface element, the information distribution system may generate a custom message that may be sent on behalf of the user, which may also include a tag, such as a hashtag.

Abstract: Techniques of the disclosure are directed to a computing device creating and outputting, for display at client devices accessing a social media platform, targeted content. The computing device may receive candidate messages composed by users of a group of client devices, where the candidate messages each include a reference to the requisite product, brand, or market. If a candidate message has a determined interest score that satisfies a threshold interest score, the computing device includes the candidate message into a group of brand messages. The computing device may then send the targeted message to be output for display at another group of client devices, where the targeted message includes both an original portion and a carousel portion. The carousel portion includes a group of transitional windows, where each transitional window includes one of the brand messages from the group of brand messages.

Abstract: A method for message selection, including: receiving a request for unviewed messages, the request identifying a context account, ranking the set of unviewed messages according to ranking criteria, where the ranking criteria is used to rank each of the set of unviewed messages based on an engagement history between the context account and an authoring account of the unviewed messages; generating, based on ranking the set of unviewed messages, a result set identifying a subset of the set of unviewed messages, and providing the result set in response to the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for providing images in the form of tiny previews in messages of a message stream sent to user devices in an online social messaging platform.

Abstract: Systems (e.g. data centers) having composable infrastructure, in which computing devices (e.g., servers) access disk drives organized into storage groups over a network or other communications mechanism, devices for implementing such systems, methods for configuring and operating such systems, and a computer readable medium which stores (in non-transitory fashion) code for performing any embodiment of the inventive method or steps thereof. Typically, the storage groups are determined such that the drives in each storage group have at least one coupled failure mechanism, and the drives are allocated to servers (and typically also, data items are placed in the servers) in accordance with storage group membership of the drives. In some embodiments, data from a server is stored in redundant fashion on at least two of the drives, e.g., in accordance a RAID technique.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to streaming real-time messages over time to client applications according to query subscriptions that match content from a large stream of messages exchanged on a messaging platform in a manner that increases the speed of message delivery, effectively controls the management of computer resources to handle the fluctuation of the number of active query subscriptions, and/or increases the security of matching the query subscriptions against messages generated from the perspective of the authors while delivering those messages in real-time from the perspective of the users that initiated the query subscriptions.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for reducing unwanted messages or spam within a real-time social networking service. According to certain aspects, a synchronous analysis module may operate in coordination with an asynchronous analysis module. Each of the synchronous analysis module and the asynchronous analysis module analyzes an incoming message from a user account to determine whether the incoming message has characteristics of spam, whereby the synchronous analysis is at a lower latency than the asynchronous analysis. The asynchronous analysis is afforded the ability to identify certain spam characteristics that the synchronous analysis may identify during its lower latency analysis.

Abstract: An example system includes a memory store of aggregate definitions. Each aggregate definition specifies a key value, an output store, a feature, a half-life value, and an aggregate operation metric to apply to a cross of the feature and the half-life value to generate aggregate metrics. The system also includes an aggregation engine that generates aggregate feature records from the input source based on the aggregate definitions and stores the aggregate feature records in the output store. An aggregate feature record includes an aggregate of the metric for the feature decayed over time using the half-life. The system also includes a query service that identifies, using the aggregate definitions, responsive aggregate feature records that satisfy parameters of a received request, applies the half-life to the responsive feature records, and provides the responsive feature records to a requester, the requester using the responsive feature records as input for a neural network.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform allows advertiser accounts to pay to insert candidate messages into the message streams requested by account holders. To accommodate multiple advertisers, the messaging platform controls an auction process that determines which candidate messages are selected for inclusion in a requested account holder's message stream. Selection is based on a bid for the candidate message, the message stream that is requested, and a variety of other factors that vary depending upon the implementation. The process for selection of candidate messages generally includes the following steps, though any given step may be omitted or combined into another step in a different implementation: targeting, filtering, prediction, ranking, and selection.

Abstract: A method includes generating a quadratic penalty based on a first version of a parameter, a first version of the anchor point and a set of Hessian values, training a task using the quadratic penalty, determining a second version of the parameter based on the trained task, determining a second version of the anchor point for the task based a trained task, generating Hessian values for the task based on the trained task, calculating a loss value for a portion of the plurality of tasks based on the second version of the parameter, calculating a loss value for each of the remainder of the plurality of tasks, determining if the loss value satisfies a condition, and in response to determining the loss value satisfies the condition, replace the first version of the parameter with the second version of the parameter in a parameter datastore and in the version control datastore.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a method includes receiving, by a client application, a video stream of a live broadcast from a messaging platform, displaying, by the client application, the video stream of the live broadcast on a user interface of the client application, receiving, via a timestamp selector on the user interface, a selection of a time location in a time window of a timeline of the video stream of the live broadcast, generating, by the client application, a timestamp based on the time location received via the timestamp selector, and sending, by the client application, a message that includes the timestamp to the messaging platform to share the video stream of the live broadcast on the messaging platform such that playback of the shared video stream of the live broadcast is configured to start at the time location indicated by the timestamp.

Abstract: A system and method for feature switching in software applications. A feature switching action (FSA) is received and at least one user device is identified based on the received FSA. At least one feature switching instruction (FSI) is generated based on the received FSA and the FSI is sent to at least one of the identified user devices. A feature switching instruction response (FSIR) is received from each user device that received a FSI and a feature switching action response (FSAR) is generated based on the received FSIRs.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for audio messaging interface for messaging platform. One of the methods includes receiving, by a first client on a first user device, a request to record an audio message, wherein the first client is configured to provide a user interface for the platform for a user using the first user device who is logged in to a user account on the platform; recording audio through a microphone of the first user device; generating a platform message by (i) generating a video file that includes the recorded audio as an audio portion of the video file and programmatically generated minimal video content as a video portion of the video file, and (ii) including the video file in the platform message; and posting, by the first client, the platform message to the platform, in response to a post request.

Abstract: A method for developing visual data using source data, target data, and a hierarchical algorithm. According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for developing visual data from source data, target data and using a hierarchical algorithm, the method comprising the steps of: determining an alignment between the target data and the source data; and producing the visual data by transferring one or more features of the source data onto one or more features of the target data; wherein, the visual data is produced after the step of determining the alignment between the target data and the source data; and wherein the visual data is produced using the hierarchical algorithm.

Abstract: A messaging system automatically populates a stream of messages using only a seed selected by the requesting account holder. In one embodiment, the seed includes the streams of one or more of the “top” accounts of the messaging system. Here, “top” is according to any one of a number of different metrics stored in the messaging system. With knowledge of the seed, the messaging system automatically populates a stream for the requesting account holder, without requiring any other input. As a result, an account holder is provided with a fully functioning stream with very little effort or knowledge required on their part.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform allows advertiser accounts to pay to insert candidate messages into the message streams requested by account holders. To accommodate multiple advertisers, the messaging platform controls an auction process that determines which candidate messages are selected for inclusion in a requested account holder's message stream. Selection is based on a bid for the candidate message, the message stream that is requested, and a variety of other factors that vary depending upon the implementation. The process for selection of candidate messages generally includes the following steps, though any given step may be omitted or combined into another step in a different implementation: targeting, filtering, prediction, ranking, and selection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a message to a messaging platform include capturing, by a client device installed as a fixture at a location of a live event, media of a participant of the live event. Input is obtained from the participant by the client device. A message is created based on the input comprising the media and authored by a messaging platform account associated with the live event. The message is provided to a messaging platform for broadcasting to accounts associated with the account associated with the event.

Abstract: A computing system can present a miniprofile comprising an avatar associated with a first account, a handle associated with the first account, a description associated with the first account, and a swipe icon; receive, at the swipe icon, an upward swipe; in response to receiving the upward swipe, present a occupying a larger portion of the display than the miniprofile, the full profile comprising an image associated with the first account, the avatar, the handle, the description, and at least a first post associated with the first account; receive, at the swipe icon, a downward swipe; determine that the downward swipe was a fast downward swipe; and based on determining that the downward swipe was the fast downward swipe, close the full profile and present a feed, the feed comprising at least a second post associated with a second account and a third post associated with a third account.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for visibility filtering. One of the methods includes receiving a request for particular data on a social messaging platform; passing the request to one or more services, wherein each service is configured to call to data sources or to additional services to collect the particular data according to a request path defined for a type of request; performing visibility filtering at each service upon obtaining responses to calls made by that service, wherein performing visibility filtering at a service comprises calling a local visibility library that evaluates one or more rules with respect to the obtained response data, and wherein the results of the visibility filtering are passed upstream along the request path until a last service obtains all filtered response data; and assembling a final response to the request based on the filtered response data.

Abstract: A computing device is configured to execute an interactive streaming application, and the interactive streaming application configured to join a live broadcast of an event that is shared by an interactive video broadcasting service executing on a server computer, receive a first video stream having video captured from a camera device configured as a first video source and display the video on a display screen, receive a second video stream having panoramic video captured from a panoramic video capturing device configured as a second video source and display a portion of the panoramic video according to a first viewing angle on the display screen, receive a change to the first viewing angle of the panoramic video, and display another portion of the panoramic video according to a second viewing angle.

Abstract: A method of managing a display of applications on a computing device can include identifying a plurality of contexts in which the computing device is used, each context being associated with (i) one or more signals and (ii) a plurality of applications. The method can also include detecting at least a subset of the signals during usage of the computing device and determining, based on the detected signals, that the computing devices is being used within a first context. The method can further include ranking, based on usage of the computing device, the applications associated with the first context. The method can still further include displaying, based on the ranking, representations of a first subset of the applications associated with the first context on a display of the computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for processing data in a multi-tenant system. One of the methods includes receiving a data processing job associated with a user account of a user; determining to launch the data processing job on one or more cloud clusters of a cloud services provider; identifying a mirror account corresponding to the user, wherein the mirror account defines which cloud resources of the cloud services provider the user is permitted to access; obtaining a key for the mirror account; sending a request to launch the data processing job on the one or more cloud clusters, comprising sending data characterizing the data processing job, the mirror account of the user, and the obtained key to the one or more cloud clusters; and receiving output data associated with the data processing job from the one or more cloud clusters.

Abstract: A system and message for message selection and presentation, including: receiving a request for content, wherein the request is associated with a context account of a messaging platform; identifying a set of unviewed messages associated with the context account; identifying grouping criteria for grouping content based on messages; applying, by a computer processor, the grouping criteria to the unviewed messages to generate a content group, wherein the content group is associated with a subset of the unviewed messages; and providing at least a portion of the content group in response to the request.

Abstract: According to an aspect, a method for event detection on social data streams includes receiving a stream of messages exchanged on a messaging platform, and detecting an event from the stream of messages, which may include detecting a first cluster group of trending entities over a first period of time, detecting a second group of trending entities over a second period of time, and generating a cluster chain by linking the second cluster group with the first cluster group, where the cluster chain represents the detected event over the first and second periods of time. The method includes storing the event as the cluster chain in a memory device on the messaging platform.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an experimentation system, or testing engine, for a real-time search infrastructure. An example method includes generating a snapshot of a production search environment and performing testing of a signal or index change in the snapshot. The change can be specified as parameters passed to the system. The method may include estimating an impact of the change based on the testing and determining, based on the estimate, whether the impact is positive. Responsive to determining the impact is positive the method may include generating a holdback environment of the production search environment, the holdback environment being a portion of the production search environment selected not to receive the change, pushing the change to the production search environment, and monitoring the change by running partial production traffic through the holdback environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods select and provide video snippets in a matrix interface. Example methods include obtaining a portion of a live video stream, assigning the portion to a class, determining that the portion is preview-eligible, and generating a snippet of the live video stream using the portion. Other example methods include determining, using a trained video classifier, a set of live broadcasts that have at least one portion that is classified as preview-eligible, calculating, for each of the live broadcasts in the set, an aggregate score for the live broadcast, selecting live broadcasts with highest aggregate scores, generating a snippet for each of the selected live broadcasts, and providing the snippets in a user interface. Methods may also include selecting portions of live video streams that are responsive to a user-provided parameter and generating a snippet for each live video stream that has a preview-eligible portion.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium for identifying music-related data based on message data from a messaging platform. The method includes: obtaining a request from a client; identifying context data associated with the request; identifying message data from the messaging platform based on the context data; selecting, based on the context data and the message data from the messaging platform, music-related data for inclusion in a result set; and providing the result set to the client in response to the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for limiting load on host servers that implement a social messaging platform. An example user device sends, to a platform comprising a plurality of host servers, a first request. The request is directed to a first endpoint. The user device receives, in response to the first request, a first error that indicates that the first request was not processed. The user device determines a back off time and places subsequent requests to the platform that are initiated before the back off time elapses and that are directed to the first endpoint in a back off queue in an order in which the subsequent requests are initiated. The user device sends, to the platform, the requests in the back off queue after the back off time has elapsed, until the back off queue is empty.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving, at a computing device, information associated with an entity from one or more social media sites. One or more attributes for the information associated with the entity is identified. A relevance profile associated with the one or more attributes is generated. A plurality of posts from the one or more social media sites is identified, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of posts includes at least a portion of the one or more attributes for the information associated with the entity. At least the portion of the plurality of posts is ordered on a display based upon, at least in part, the relevance profile associated with the one or more attributes.

Abstract: A method for generating recommendations involves selecting a first platform message, making a first determination that the first platform message is potentially associated with a plurality of topics including a first topic and a second topic, obtaining additional information associated with the first platform message including at least one of information about an account that authored the first platform message and information about third party accounts engaging with the first platform message, making a second determining that the first platform message is associated with the first topic using the plurality of topics and at least a portion of the additional information, wherein the first topic is an initial classification of the first platform message, generating a recommendation for at least one account based on the second determination, and providing the recommendation to at least one account.

Abstract: An example system includes a processor and a memory. The system performs sub-pixel convolution that is free of checkerboard artifacts. In one example implementation, the system may execute a method that includes initializing one or more parameters of a sub-kernel of a kernel and copying the one or more parameters of the sub-kernel to other sub-kernels of the kernel. The method may further include performing convolution of an input image with the sub-kernels of the kernel and generating a plurality of first output images. A second output image is then generated based on the plurality of first output images.

Abstract: A computing device can receive at least a first post in association with a first account, a second post in association with the first account, the second post being associated with the first post, a third post in association with a second account, the third post being associated with the first post, a fourth post in association with the second account, the fourth post being associated with the first post, and a fifth post in association with a third account, the fifth post being associated with the first post, determine that the first account and the second account are most relevant to a conversation, and based on determining that the first account and the second account are most relevant to the conversation, present the first post, the second post, the third post, and the fourth post without presenting the fifth post.

Abstract: A system and method including: receiving an authorization request originating from an authorization module of an application executing on a client device, where the authorization request includes an identifier identifying the client device; causing transmission, based on the identifier, of a verification message to the client device, where the verification message includes a verification code; receiving a confirmation of the verification code from the authorization module of the application executing on the client device; authenticating the application based on the receiving the confirmation of the verification code; determining that the client device identified by the identifier corresponds to a user account including secure user data associated with a user; and transmitting a unique token verifying that the application is authorized to sign into the user account, where: the unique token uniquely identifies the user account to the application, and the secure user data is not shared with the application.