Patent ID: 9047584
Filing Date: 2015-06-02
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: maintaining a list of members of a social networking system group, each group member being a user of a social networking system, each group member having previously opted to join the group, and the group comprising less than all users of the social networking system; providing a web page for the group, wherein the web page contains a first communication channel for uploading content items to a chat window that enables real-time communication among a plurality of members of the group, and a second communication channel enabling members of the group to view or upload content items to a message board within the web page; receiving from a group member a selection of the first or second communication channel and a first content item to send to the group using the selected communication channel; determining by the social networking system a recipient list comprising a subset of group members selected based on the selection of the first or second communication channel, wherein the recipient list comprises the group members who are currently online if the first content item is uploaded to the chat window, and all group members if the first content item is uploaded to the message board within the web page; transmitting the content item in the selected communication channel to the group members who are on the recipient list; receiving from a second group member a second selection of the first or second communication channel and a second content item to send to the group using the communication channel selected by the second group member; determining by the social networking system a second recipient list comprising a second subset of group members selected based on the selection of the first or second communication channel by the second group member, wherein the second recipient list comprises group members that have subscribed to the first content item and who are currently online if the second content item is uploaded to the chat window, and all group members that have subscribed to the first content item if the second content item is uploaded to the message board within the web page; and transmitting the second content item in the communication channel selected by the second group member to the group members who are on the second recipient list.