Collaborative digital story system

Systems and methods for generating digital shared story compositions may include (1) receiving, via an instance of a social media application running on a user's computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include a collection of individual story compositions from different contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more members of a social media platform associated with the social media application as contributors to the shared story, (2) creating the shared story with the selected members as contributors, and (3) adding, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by an additional user who was selected as a contributor via the second user input. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND

Current social media applications allow users all over the world to share their thoughts and ideas on various topics. Some social media applications allow users to create ephemeral story posts, which are accessible to other users for a limited time before disappearing from view. The ephemeral nature of the story paradigm builds excitement, by limiting a consumption experience to only current posts. This may allow a digital experience (e.g., consuming a story post relating to an event or a current thought process) to mimic a real-world experience (e.g., participating in the event or the current thought process). However, current story paradigms center around single-author compositions, making it difficult to digitally mimic the group nature inherent in many of life's real-world experiences. The instant disclosure therefore identifies a need for systems and methods for creating, managing, posting, and storing multi-author story compositions.

SUMMARY

As will be described in greater detail below, the instant disclosure describes various systems and methods for creating, maintaining, and presenting digital shared stories. In one example, a computer-implemented method may include (1) receiving, via an instance of social media application running on a user's computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from a group of different contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more members of a social media platform associated with the social media application as contributors to the shared story, (2) creating the shared story with the selected members as contributors, and (3) adding, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by an additional user who was selected as a contributor via the second user input.

In one embodiment, the method may further include (1) providing, via a display element of the user's computing device, a composition screen that may be used to create a social media composition and (2) presenting, within the composition screen, a selectable element that may be selected to create a shared story. In this embodiment, the first user input may represent a selection of the selectable element.

In one example, the method may include, in response to receiving the first user input, (1) presenting, via a display element of the user's computing device, an inaugural landing screen for creating new shared stories, and (2) receiving the second user input via the inaugural landing screen. In this example, the inaugural landing screen may include various spaces with selectable elements (e.g., a profile picture space that allows the user to select a profile picture for the shared story, a contributor space that allows the user to select one or more members of the social media platform as contributors, a privacy space that allows the user to select a privacy setting, and a story start space that allows the user to initiate the shared story) and the method may receive the second user input via the inaugural landing screen by receiving the second user input via the contributor space.

In one example, the profile picture space may include a default profile picture and may allow the user to accept the default profile picture or select a new profile picture. In this embodiment, the default picture may represent (1) a collage of contributor pictures comprising a picture of each contributor and/or (2) an image most recently captured by a capture screen on the user's computing device prior to receiving the first user input.

In one embodiment, the method may further include using facial recognition to identify one or more users included in an image captured by a capture screen on the user's computing device prior to receiving the first user input. In this embodiment, the contributor space may provide a default list of contributors (e.g., a list of the users identified in the image).

In some examples, the privacy space may further include a binary privacy button that allows the user to toggle between two privacy settings: (1) a setting to limit access to the shared story to only contributors who have been invited to the shared story and (2) a setting to limit access to the shared story to the contributors who have been invited to the shared story and to friends of contributors who have been invited to the shared story.

In one embodiment, the method may further include presenting a contributor landing screen to the additional user via an additional instance of the social media application running on the additional user's computing device. In this embodiment, the method may further include (1) in response to receiving the second user input, transmitting a digital invitation to the additional instance of the social media application inviting the additional user to participate as a contributor to the shared story and (2) receiving, via the additional user's computing device, user input accepting the digital invitation. Additionally, the method may present the contributor landing screen by presenting the contributor landing screen in response to receiving the user input accepting the digital invitation.

In some examples, the contributor landing screen may include a group of selectable elements. These selectable elements may include, without limitation, (1) a privacy element that, when selected, allows the additional user to hide the shared story from his or her friends on the social media platform, (2) a settings element that, when selected, allows the additional user to edit one or more settings of the shared story, and/or (3) an exit element that, when selected, allows the additional user to initiate being removed as a contributor to the shared story.

In one example, the computer-implemented method may further include maintaining the shared story as a live story until a predetermined amount of time has passed without a new digital story composition being added by any of the shared story's contributors. In one embodiment, creating the shared story may include creating a shared story container to which digital story compositions created by the contributors may be added. Additionally or alternatively, creating the shared story may include publishing one or more digital story compositions of the shared story via a stories channel of the social media platform.

In some examples, the method may add the additional user's digital story composition to the shared story by (1) presenting, via a display element of the additional user's computing device, a composition screen configured for creating digital story compositions, (2) receiving digital content submitted by the additional user via the composition screen and creating the digital story composition based on the digital content, (3) additionally receiving a user selection to add the digital story composition to the shared story, and (4) adding the additional user's digital story composition to the shared story in response to receiving the user selection.

In one embodiment, a system for implementing the above-described method may include (1) a receiving module, stored in memory, that receives, via an instance of a social media application running on a user's computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from multiple different contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more members of a social media platform associated with the social media application as contributors to the shared story. The system may also include (2) a creation module, stored in memory, that creates the shared story with the selected members as contributors, and adds, to the shared story, a digital story composition reaction by an additional user who was selected as a contributor via the second user input. The system may also include (3) a physical processor configured to execute the receiving module and the creation module.

In some examples, the above-described method may be encoded as computer-readable instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. For example, a computer-readable medium may include one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, may cause the computing device to (1) receive, via an instance of a social media application running on a user's computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from a plurality of different contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more members of a social media platform associated with the social media application as contributors to the shared story, (2) create the shared story with the selected members as contributors, and (3) add, to the shared story, a digital composition created by an additional user who was selected as a contributor via the second user input.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is generally directed to a collaborative digital story system that allows multiple contributors to contribute to an evolving shared story. The shared story may include a compilation of individual stories created by each of the contributors and may be ephemeral in nature, staying live as long as the authors are actively adding to the shared story.

In some examples, a shared story may be initiated using the same composition screen utilized to create a solo-author story. For example, a composition screen may include, within a cluster of push-buttons, a contributor-button that allows a producer to add contributors. When selected, the contributor-button may navigate to a shared story landing screen that allows the producer to create an identity for the shared story (e.g., by selecting contributors, a privacy setting, a title, and/or a profile picture). This process may change the story being created by the producer from a solo-author story to a shared story.

In some examples, a composition screen may take the form of a capture screen. In these examples, the capture screen may include different camera modes including a hangout mode. When a user selects the hangout mode prior to taking a picture, the capture screen may automatically navigate to the shared story landing screen after the picture is taken. In these examples, the shared story landing screen may automatically (1) select the picture taken via the capture screen as a profile picture, (2) use facial recognition to identify one or more users in the picture, and (3) select the identified users as contributors.

After being added as a contributor, a contributor may be presented with a contributor landing screen that allows the contributor to initiate several actions. For example, the contributor landing screen may allow the contributor to hide the shared stories from his or her contacts, edit the shared story settings, and/or leave the shared story.

The shared story may be posted to a stories consumption channel (i.e., become “live”) once the first individual story (e.g., the producer's original story) is added to the shared story. Then, the shared story may continue to update with additional individual stories as they are added. In some examples, the shared story may remain live as long as additional stories continue to be added. For example, the shared story may remain live until the last added story becomes older than 24 hours. In one example, all the individual stories added by the contributors may be added to an archive as they expire, which may be accessed by each of the contributors but inaccessible to non-contributors.

As will be explained in greater detail below, embodiments of the instant disclosure may provide an easier means of sharing group content and interacting with that group content. In traditional social media applications, stories are created using a single-author paradigm, in which stories are organized by user (e.g., where stories by a same user are grouped together and designated by the user's name). However, the traditional single-author paradigm does not provide a structure to organize ephemeral content based on a group, event, and/or idea, making it nearly impossible to digitally mimic the group nature inherent in many of life's real-world experiences.

The embodiments herein, by contrast, enable a group of users to create a shared story that includes a collection of stories with content that is relevant to the group (e.g., stories relating to a family vacation). Thus, a user interested in accessing content that is relevant to the group, may access all of the content (e.g., all stories relating to the family vacation) in one logical space, instead of attempting to access such content spread out across multiple different logical spaces (e.g., spread out across the logical spaces of multiple users). This may improve the functioning of a computer itself by improving the computer's ability to meaningfully organize data. This may also improve the functioning of a computer itself by reducing the number of actions that must be received by the computer from a user attempting to access group-relevant data.

The following will provide, with reference toFIG. 1, detailed descriptions of computer-implemented methods for digitally creating shared stories. Detailed descriptions of corresponding example systems will also be provided in connection withFIG. 2. In addition, detailed descriptions of a corresponding creation flow will be provided in connection withFIGS. 3-7. Then, the following will provide, with reference toFIG. 8, detailed descriptions of computer-implemented methods for adding a digital story composition to a shared story. Detailed descriptions of corresponding example systems will also be provided in connection withFIG. 9. In addition, detailed descriptions of corresponding creation flow will be provided in connection withFIGS. 10-14. Thus,FIGS. 1-7relate to methods and systems utilized by a producer of the shared story (i.e., who initiates the creation of the shared story) andFIGS. 8-14relate to methods and systems utilized by contributors to the shared story (e.g., users invited to contribute to the shared story by the producer).

FIG. 1is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method100for creating shared stories and adding contributor compositions to the shared story. The steps shown inFIG. 1may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/or computing system, such as the systems described herein. In one embodiment, the steps shown inFIG. 1may be performed by modules operating within a mobile device. For example, the steps shown inFIG. 1may be performed by modules operating in a user device202as shown in exemplary system200inFIG. 2.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, at step110, one or more of the systems described herein may receive, via an instance of a social media application running on a user's computing device, a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include a collection of individual story compositions from multiple different contributors. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, a receiving module204may receive, via social media application206running on user device202, a first user input208from a producer210that initiates the creation of a shared story.

User device202generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of reading computer-executable instructions. For example, user device202may represent a user device such as a smart phone and/or a tablet. Additional examples of user device202may include, without limitation, laptops, desktops with mobile elements, wearable devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. In some examples, a user of user device202(i.e., producer210) may have a user account with a social-networking platform and may have an instance of a social media application managed by the social-networking platform and associated with the user's account installed on user device202(i.e., social media application206).

The term “social media application” as used herein refers to any type or form of computer program managed by a social media platform that is installed and executed on a user device to cause the user device to perform useful tasks. In some examples, the social media application may include both a composition functionality and a consumption functionality. The composition functionality may be used to create digital social media compositions to share with other users of the social media platform (e.g., digital newsfeed compositions and/or digital story compositions). The consumption functionality may be used to view user compositions created by other users (e.g., via a newsfeed consumption channel and/or stories consumption channel presented via one or more graphical user interfaces of the social media application).

As used herein, the term “stories consumption channel” generally refers to any type or form of social media consumption channel that presents a continuous series of story compositions to a composition-consumer, one by one. In one example, the stories consumption channel may transition from presenting one story composition to the next automatically, without requiring any user input to do so. In some examples, a story composition may only be viewable for a predetermined amount of time. For example, a story composition may be set to disappear after twenty-four hours. In addition to presenting story compositions created by a solo-author, the stories consumption channel may be configured to present shared stories created by a group of authors, as will be discussed in greater detail below.

The term “story composition” as used herein generally refers to any type or form of social media composition intended for a stories consumption channel. The story composition may include a variety of content (e.g., a digital photograph, a digital video, a gif, text, a link, etc.). In some examples, a story composition may include multiple posts, each of which includes different content. In one such example, the story composition may include a text-based cover card that is displayed for a predetermined amount of time followed by each post, one by one, each of which may be displayed for a subsequent predetermined amount of time.

The term “shared story” as used herein generally refers to a collection of individual stories created by multiple different contributors that are stored in the same stories container and posted as a group (e.g., one after the other in a series) in a stories consumption channel. In some examples, a shared story may be organized around an event (e.g., a family vacation, a field trip, a campaign rally, etc.). In additional or alternative examples, a shared story may be organized around a theme (e.g., karaoke compositions of songs). In some examples, the rights to contribute to a shared story may be limited to a group of users invited to contribute to the shared story (e.g., by a producer of the shared story). Additionally, the rights to view a shared story may be limited based on a privacy setting selected by the producer and/or a contributor to the shared story. To give a specific example, the shared story may only be displayed in the stories consumption channels of the contributors. Alternatively, the share story may only be displayed in the stories consumption channels of the contributors and in the stories consumption channels of the contributors' friends.

Receiving module204may receive first user input208in a variety of contexts. In some examples, first user input208may be submitted to a composition screen212, presented to producer210via a display element214of user device202as part of a story creation process.

The term “composition screen” as used herein generally refers to any type or form of user interface presented via a social media application that facilitates the creation of a social media composition. In some examples, the composition screen may be configured to receive user-generated text and/or digital media (e.g., a digital photograph, a digital video, and/or a graphic) submitted via user input for inclusion in a social media composition. Additionally, the composition screen may allow a user to manipulate text and/or media. For example, the composition screen may allow a font, background, and/or text size to be manipulated for text submitted to the composition screen. As another example, the composition screen may be configured to receive a selection and/or placement of metadata items pertaining to the composition (e.g., a digital location sticker, a digital feelings sticker, a digital paint submission, a media filter, etc.). In one embodiment, a story composition being composed via composition screen212may form the basis of the shared story initiated by first user input208(e.g., by becoming an initial story in the shared story and/or a profile picture for the shared story).

FIG. 3provides a specific example of a composition screen (i.e., composition screen300) from which first user input208may be received. As shown inFIG. 3, composition screen300may include a group of push buttons configured to perform various tasks related to creating a social media composition (e.g., a text button302for adding text to the composition, a metadata button304for adding metadata items in the form of digital stickers to the composition, a paint button306for digitally drawing on the composition, a crop button308for cropping digital media items that form the basis of the composition, a tag button310for tagging friends in the composition, a location button312for adding location information to the composition, a camera roll button314for adding additional digital media items from a camera roll of user device202to the composition, a save button316for saving the composition, and a creation button318for adding the composition to an individual story channel of producer210).

Composition screen300as depicted inFIG. 3represents one of a series of screens presented during the composition process (i.e., as part of a creation flow). As part of this creation flow, producer210may have selected the image displayed via composition screen300from a previous screen (e.g., a composition landing screen similar to the contributor composition screen described in greater detail below in connection withFIG. 10). Additionally, one or more subsequent screens may be presented to add additional content to a composition (e.g. in response to a selection of camera roll button314) or to add text or digital metadata stickers to the composition (e.g., in response to a selection of text button302and/or metadata button304).

In some examples, as illustrated inFIG. 3, composition screen300may include a contributor button322that may be used to add contributors to the composition being created via composition screen300, triggering the creation of a shared story. In this example, first user input208may represent a selection of contributor button322.

Returning toFIG. 2, in another example, composition screen212may represent a capture screen from which first user input208is received. The term “capture screen” as used herein generally refers to any type or form of composition screen with a capture element that allows a user to take a digital photo and/or digital video with a digital camera embedded within a user device displaying the capture screen (e.g., by selecting a capture push button within the capture screen).

FIG. 4provides a specific example of a capture screen (i.e., capture screen400) from which first user input208may be received. As shown inFIG. 4, capture screen400may include a variety of push buttons associated with different modes for recording a digital video or digital image (e.g., a normal video mode, a boomerang video mode in which a digital video loop is created, a slow-motion mode, etc.). These push buttons may include a push button (e.g., hangout button402inFIG. 4) associated with the group mode. By selecting the group mode push button (i.e., hangout button402), the user may initiate a shared story that uses the photograph and/or video being taken by the capture screen as the basis of the shared story. In some examples (e.g., the example illustrated inFIG. 4), hangout button402may represent a capture button that both initiates a camera embedded in user device202to capture an event and causes the event to be captured in the hangout mode.

In some examples, a creation flow may include first presenting a capture screen, such as capture screen400illustrated inFIG. 4, and then presenting a composition screen, such as the composition screen illustrated inFIG. 3, that includes an image captured using the capture screen. In this example, a producer may have two opportunities to submit user input initiating the creation of the shared story (i.e., by selecting a push button such as hangout button402inFIG. 4or by selecting a push button such as contributor button322inFIG. 3).

Returning toFIG. 1, at step120, one or more of the systems described herein may receive, via the instance of the social media application running on the user's computing device, a second user input selecting one or more members of a social media platform associated with the social media application as contributors to the shared story. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, receiving module204may receive, via social media application206, a second user input216from producer210selecting contributors220,222, and224.

Receiving module204may receive second user input216in a variety of contexts. In some examples, an inaugural landing screen218for creating new shared stories may be presented via display element214by a display module of social media application206(e.g., in response to receiving module204receiving first user input208). In these examples, receiving module204may receive second user input216from inaugural landing screen218.

Inaugural landing screen218may be configured with a variety of spaces that include selectable elements for creating a shared story, as illustrated inFIG. 5A.FIG. 5Aincludes an exemplary embodiment of an inaugural landing screen (i.e., inaugural landing screen500) with multiple spaces: (1) a profile picture space502, (2) a story name space504, (3) a contributor space506, (4) a privacy space508, and (5) a story start space510. A functionality and/or configuration of each of these spaces will be discussed, in turn.

First, profile picture space502may allow producer210to select a profile picture for the shared story being created via inaugural landing screen218. In one example, profile picture space502may display a default profile picture (such as default profile picture512). In this example, profile picture space502may allow producer210to accept the default profile picture or to select a new profile picture (e.g., from a photo database maintained by user device202). In some examples, the default profile picture may include a collage of the profile pictures of one or more of the contributors to the shared story, as shown inFIG. 5A. In another example, the default profile picture may represent an image most recently captured by a capture screen on user device202(e.g., prior to receiving module204receiving first user input208). For example, the default profile picture may represent an image captured by capture screen400displayed inFIG. 4or composition screen300displayed inFIG. 3.

Second, story name space504may include a text box through which producer210may input a name for the shared story. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5B, producer210may input the name “Tokyo Times!” In some examples, story name space504may display a default name predicted (using a prediction module) based on context available to user device202. For example, the prediction module may predict the name based on a current location indicated by a location sensor within user device202. In this example, the default name may include the name of a country, city, restaurant, etc. As another example, the prediction module may predict the name based on an entry in a digital calendar maintained by social media application206and/or user device202. In this example, the default name may include the name of an event identified in the digital calendar.

Third, contributor space506may allow producer210to select one or more members of the social media platform associated with social media application206as contributors to the shared story. In some examples, the disclosed systems and methods may (using a prediction module) predict a list of users that producer210may wish to add as contributors to the shared story and may automatically display the predicted list of users in contributor space506. In these examples, contributor space506may be configured to allow producer210to accept and/or modify the automatically/predictively selected contributors. In one embodiment, an additional contributor screen (e.g., such as contributor screen600displayed inFIG. 6) may be displayed in response to producer210selecting contributor space506.

The prediction module may predict the list of users in a variety of ways. In some examples, the prediction module may have identified the users in a digital photograph and/or video using facial recognition. For example, in examples in which first user input208was received from a capture screen (such as capture screen400inFIG. 4), the prediction module may have identified the users within a digital photograph being taken via the capture screen and may have automatically populated contributor space506with the identified users.

Fourth, privacy space508may allow producer210to select a privacy setting for the shared story. In some examples, privacy space508may include a binary privacy button514that allows producer210to toggle between two privacy settings. For example, as illustrated inFIGS. 5A and 5B, privacy space508may allow producer210to toggle between an open setting516(selected by default inFIG. 5A), in which contributors and friends of each of the contributors are permitted to view the shared story, and a closed setting518(selected by producer210inFIG. 5B), in which only contributors are permitted to view the shared story.

Finally, story start space510may include a start button520configured to initiate the creation of the shared story when selected via user input. Start button520may initiate the creation of the shared story by inviting the selected users to be contributors and/or by making the shared story live.

Returning toFIG. 1, at step130, one or more of the systems described herein may create the shared story with the selected members as contributors. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, a creation module226may create a shared story228with contributors220,222, and224as contributors.

Creation module226may create shared story228in response to a variety of triggers. In some examples, creation module226may create shared story228in response to receiving module204receiving a user input to inaugural landing screen218. Using the inaugural landing screen depicted inFIG. 5as a specific example, creation module226may create shared story228in response to receiving module204receiving user input selecting start button520. In other examples, creation module226may create shared story228in response to receiving first user input208or second user input216(e.g., without first presenting inaugural landing screen to producer210).

Creation module226may create shared story228in a variety of ways. In some examples, creation module226may create shared story228by creating a shared story container to which digital story compositions created by contributors220,222, and224may be added. Additionally or alternatively, creation module226may create shared story228by publishing shared story228via a stories consumption channel (e.g., by publishing a base story composition230created by producer210as part of a shared story creation process to which subsequently created compositions by the producer and/or contributors may be added).

The audience to which shared story228is published may depend on a privacy setting (e.g., selected from inaugural landing screen218). For example, if producer210selected a private privacy setting to only share shared story228with contributors to the shared story, shared story228may only be published to stories consumption channels of the contributors. Alternatively, if producer210selected a public privacy setting to share shared story228with both contributors and friends of the contributors, shared story228may be published to the stories consumption channels of the contributors and to the stories consumption channels of the contributors' friends.

Returning toFIG. 1, at step140or more of the systems described herein may add, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by an additional user who was selected as a contributor via the second user input. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, creation module226may add story compositions232-236(created by contributors220-224) to shared story228.

Creation module226may add story compositions232-236to shared story228in a variety of ways. In some examples, creation module226may add story compositions232-236to a shared story container created for shared story228. Additionally or alternatively, creation module226may publish story compositions232-236as part of shared story228via a stories channel. In these examples, each published story composition may include a caption that includes the name of the shared story and the author of the particular story. Additionally, the published story compositions may be displayed in stories consumption channels as a series, one after the other.

For example,FIG. 7illustrates an exemplary embodiment of shared story228being presented to the consumption channel of a user via a user device700. As shown inFIG. 7, base story composition230may be displayed first, followed by story composition232created by contributor220, followed by story composition234created by contributor222, followed by story composition236created by contributor224.

Prior to adding the contributors' story compositions to shared story228, the disclosed systems and methods may facilitate the creation of the contributors' story compositions and may receive the story compositions from the contributors. A process for facilitating the creation of the contributors' story compositions and receiving the story compositions from the contributors is described in connection withFIGS. 8-14.

FIG. 8is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method800for generating a contributor story composition. The steps shown inFIG. 8may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/or computing system, such as the systems described herein. In one embodiment, the steps shown inFIG. 8may be performed by modules operating within a computing device. For example, the steps shown inFIG. 8may be performed by modules operating in a user device902of contributor220(e.g., as part of an additional instance of the social media application described above) as shown in exemplary system900inFIG. 9.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, at step810, one or more of the systems described herein may present, via a display element of an additional user's computing device, a composition screen configured for creating digital story compositions. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 9, a display module904may present, via a display element906of user device902, a composition screen908.

Composition screen908generally represents any type or form of computer-mediated user interface presented via a display element (e.g., by a social media application running on a computing device) that allows a user to create social media compositions. For example, composition screen908may allow a user to create a digital story composition to be shared on a stories consumption channel of a social media platform.

Composition screen212may include a variety of functional elements. For example,FIG. 10depicts an exemplary embodiment of composition screen908with various digital spaces: a text space1000, which enables the user to input text (e.g., via a text box), a media space1002, which enables the user to select and/or upload media items, and a metadata space1004, which displays one or more selectable metadata items (e.g., digital stickers displaying time, location, friends, and/or feelings information) that may be added to a composition. In some examples, as shown inFIG. 10, composition screen908may be configured to receive multiple types of input (text input, media input, and metadata input). In other examples, a composition process may include receiving input from a series of different screens. For example, composition screen908may represent a dedicated media screen that receives media input and navigates to additional composition screen for receiving text, metadata, and/or other input.

Display module904may present composition screen908in response to a variety of triggers. In some examples, display module904may automatically present composition screen908as an initial welcome screen presented in response to a determination that the user has opened a social media application. In other examples, a non-composition screen, such as a newsfeed screen, may be configured as the initial welcome screen, or a user may wish to transition from a non-composition screen, such as a newsfeed screen or a messenger screen, to a composition screen. In these examples, a predecessor screen may include a text box (e.g., with a prompt such as “What's on your mind?”) and composition screen908may be retrieved when the text box is selected. Additionally or alternatively, the predecessor screen may include a composition icon which, when selected, triggers the retrieval of composition screen908. For example,FIG. 11is an illustration of an exemplary predecessor screen1100(a newsfeed screen in this example) with a composition icon1102that depicts a glyph of a plus sign, conveying that the user may add a composition to his or her profile by selecting the composition icon.

Returning toFIG. 8, at step820, one or more of the systems described herein may receive digital content submitted by the additional user via the composition screen and may create a digital story composition based on the content. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 9, a composition module910may receive digital content submitted by contributor220via composition screen908and may create story composition232(e.g., as depicted inFIG. 7) based on the content.

In some examples, as depicted by the story compositions (e.g.,232) inFIG. 7, a digital story composition may include a digital image. Additionally, as depicted by base story composition230inFIG. 7, a digital story composition may include one or more digital stickers (e.g., a digital text sticker and the digital location sticker as displayed inFIG. 7). In other examples, a digital story composition may represent a text composition. In some such examples, the digital story composition may include a white backdrop with plain text. In other such examples, the digital story composition may represent a Super Awesome Text Post (SATP) in which the backdrop is a color and/or image and the text may also be stylized. In other examples, the digital story composition may represent a graphic.

Returning toFIG. 8, at step830, one or more of the systems described herein may additionally receive a user selection to add the digital story composition to the shared story. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 9, composition module910may receive a user selection of a share button914displayed in a share screen912.

In some examples, share screen912may represent the final composition screen in a series of composition screens. For example, composition screen908may navigate to share screen912in response to contributor220selecting a push button indicating that the user is ready to publish the digital composition created using composition screen908(e.g., a “next” push button, a “share” push button, etc.).FIG. 12illustrates an exemplary embodiment of share screen912in which share screen912represents a final composition screen. As shown inFIG. 12, the final composition screen may allow contributor220to post his or her digital composition to his or her own personal story or to a shared story. In this example, share button914may represent a selection of shared story228as a channel for publication.

In other examples, a predecessor screen, displayed prior to composition screen908, may include selectable elements for designating a stories channel for which a user would like to create a digital composition. In these examples, contributor220may select an element within the predecessor screen indicating that he or she wishes to create a digital composition to add to shared story228, prior to composing the digital story composition. In this example, composition screen908may include a publish push button that automatically publishes digital story composition to shared story228(e.g., without providing options to publish to other story channels). In one embodiment, such a predecessor screen may represent a screen displayed within shared story228as the shared story228is being consumed. For example, contributor220may be viewing shared story228via his or her stories consumption channel and may select a push button included within shared story228inviting contributor220to add to shared story228.

Finally, at step840inFIG. 8, one or more of the systems described herein may add the additional user's digital story composition to the shared story in response to receiving the user selection. For example, composition module910may add story composition232to shared story228in response to contributor220selecting share button914.

In some examples, contributor220(along with each of the other contributors) may have been presented with a contributor landing screen after having been invited to join shared story228as a contributor. In one embodiment, the contributor landing screen may be presented in response to contributor220digitally accepting an invitation to be added as a contributor to shared story228. In another embodiment, the contributor landing screen may be presented in response to contributor220selecting a notification informing contributor220of having been added as a contributor to shared story228. For example,FIG. 13is an exemplary embodiment of a notification screen1300with a notification1302of having been invited to contribute to a shared story. In this example, a contributor landing screen may be presented to contributor220in response to receiving user input selecting notification1302.

The contributor landing screen may include a variety of elements, as illustrated inFIG. 14.FIG. 14depicts a contributor landing screen1400with various elements: a privacy element1402, a settings element1404, and an exit element1406. Each of these elements will be described, in turn.

First, privacy element1402may allow contributor222to modify the permission settings selected by producer210. For example, in embodiments in which producer210selected a public setting for shared story228(i.e., to share shared story228with contributors and with friends of the contributors), privacy element1402may, when selected, hide the shared story228from the friends of contributor222. Next, settings element1404may allow contributor222to edit one or more additional settings of shared story228selected by contributor222(e.g., a time frame for which shared story228will remain live). Finally, exit element1406may, when selected, remove contributor220as a contributor to shared story228.

Once shared story228has been published (i.e., becomes “live” in the consumption channels of users with permission to view shared story228), shared story228may remain live for a designated amount of time. In one embodiment, shared story228may remain live until a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 24 hours) has passed without a new digital story composition being added by any of the contributors to shared story228. After the predetermined amount of time passes without any new digital story compositions being added, shared story228may be removed from the stories consumption channels of users who had permission to view shared story228. In one embodiment, shared story228may be archived and may continue to be accessible to the contributors of shared story228(e.g., producer210and contributors220-224).

As described throughout the instant disclosure, the disclosed systems and methods may provide a social networking platform in which a producer may invite other users to participate in a shared story. The shared story may include a collection of individual story compositions created by individual contributors. The individual story compositions may be added to the shared story as they are created. After a designated amount of time (e.g., 24 hours) has passed without a new composition being added to the shared story, the shared story may expire and be removed from the consumption channels of users with permission to view the shared story. Once the shared story expires, the shared story may continue to be maintained in an archive which may only be accessible to the shared story's contributors.