Patent Publication Number: US-11026064-B1

Title: Collaborative digital story system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/154,695, titled “COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL STORY SYSTEM,” filed Oct. 8, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;s digital story composition to the shared story by (1) presenting, via a display element of the additional user&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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. 
     Features from any of the above-mentioned embodiments may be used in combination with one another in accordance with the general principles described herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages will be more fully understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of exemplary embodiments and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principles of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for creating a shared story. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary shared story system. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exemplary composition screen  300  with an exemplary element that trigger the creation of a shared story. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exemplary capture screen with an exemplary element that triggers the creation of a shared story. 
         FIGS. 5A-5B  are an illustration of an additional exemplary inaugural landing screen for creating a shared story that toggles between two different privacy settings. 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of an exemplary contributor selection screen displayed as part of a shared story creation process. 
         FIG. 7  is an illustration of an exemplary shared story with posts from a variety of different contributors. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for adding a digital story composition to a shared story. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of an exemplary system used to add a digital story composition to a shared story. 
         FIG. 10  is an illustration of an additional exemplary composition screen. 
         FIG. 11  is an illustration of an exemplary predecessor screen that navigates to an exemplary composition screen. 
         FIG. 12  is an illustration of an exemplary share screen for adding a digital story composition to a shared story. 
         FIG. 13  is an illustration of an exemplary notification screen for notifying a user that he or she has been added as a contributor to a shared story. 
         FIG. 14  is an exemplary contributor landing screen presented to a contributor of a shared story. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims. 
     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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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 to  FIG. 1 , detailed descriptions of computer-implemented methods for digitally creating shared stories. Detailed descriptions of corresponding example systems will also be provided in connection with  FIG. 2 . In addition, detailed descriptions of a corresponding creation flow will be provided in connection with  FIGS. 3-7 . Then, the following will provide, with reference to  FIG. 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 with  FIG. 9 . In addition, detailed descriptions of corresponding creation flow will be provided in connection with  FIGS. 10-14 . Thus,  FIGS. 1-7  relate to methods and systems utilized by a producer of the shared story (i.e., who initiates the creation of the shared story) and  FIGS. 8-14  relate 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. 1  is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method  100  for creating shared stories and adding contributor compositions to the shared story. The steps shown in  FIG. 1  may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/or computing system, such as the systems described herein. In one embodiment, the steps shown in  FIG. 1  may be performed by modules operating within a mobile device. For example, the steps shown in FIG.  1  may be performed by modules operating in a user device  202  as shown in exemplary system  200  in  FIG. 2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , at step  110 , one or more of the systems described herein may receive, via an instance of a social media application running on a user&#39;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 in  FIG. 2 , a receiving module  204  may receive, via social media application  206  running on user device  202 , a first user input  208  from a producer  210  that initiates the creation of a shared story. 
     User device  202  generally represents any type or form of computing device capable of reading computer-executable instructions. For example, user device  202  may represent a user device such as a smart phone and/or a tablet. Additional examples of user device  202  may include, without limitation, laptops, desktops with mobile elements, wearable devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. In some examples, a user of user device  202  (i.e., producer  210 ) 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&#39;s account installed on user device  202  (i.e., social media application  206 ). 
     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 BOLLYWOOD 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&#39; friends. 
     Receiving module  204  may receive first user input  208  in a variety of contexts. In some examples, first user input  208  may be submitted to a composition screen  212 , presented to producer  210  via a display element  214  of user device  202  as 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 screen  212  may form the basis of the shared story initiated by first user input  208  (e.g., by becoming an initial story in the shared story and/or a profile picture for the shared story). 
       FIG. 3  provides a specific example of a composition screen (i.e., composition screen  300 ) from which first user input  208  may be received. As shown in  FIG. 3 , composition screen  300  may include a group of push buttons configured to perform various tasks related to creating a social media composition (e.g., a text button  302  for adding text to the composition, a metadata button  304  for adding metadata items in the form of digital stickers to the composition, a paint button  306  for digitally drawing on the composition, a crop button  308  for cropping digital media items that form the basis of the composition, a tag button  310  for tagging friends in the composition, a location button  312  for adding location information to the composition, a camera roll button  314  for adding additional digital media items from a camera roll of user device  202  to the composition, a save button  316  for saving the composition, and a creation button  318  for adding the composition to an individual story channel of producer  210 ). 
     Composition screen  300  as depicted in  FIG. 3  represents 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, producer  210  may have selected the image displayed via composition screen  300  from a previous screen (e.g., a composition landing screen similar to the contributor composition screen described in greater detail below in connection with  FIG. 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 button  314 ) or to add text or digital metadata stickers to the composition (e.g., in response to a selection of text button  302  and/or metadata button  304 ). 
     In some examples, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , composition screen  300  may include a contributor button  322  that may be used to add contributors to the composition being created via composition screen  300 , triggering the creation of a shared story. In this example, first user input  208  may represent a selection of contributor button  322 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , in another example, composition screen  212  may represent a capture screen from which first user input  208  is 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. 4  provides a specific example of a capture screen (i.e., capture screen  400 ) from which first user input  208  may be received. As shown in  FIG. 4 , capture screen  400  may 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 button  402  in  FIG. 4 ) associated with the group mode. By selecting the group mode push button (i.e., hangout button  402 ), 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 in  FIG. 4 ), hangout button  402  may represent a capture button that both initiates a camera embedded in user device  202  to 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 screen  400  illustrated in  FIG. 4 , and then presenting a composition screen, such as the composition screen illustrated in  FIG. 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 button  402  in  FIG. 4  or by selecting a push button such as contributor button  322  in  FIG. 3 ). 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , at step  120 , one or more of the systems described herein may receive, via the instance of the social media application running on the user&#39;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 in  FIG. 2 , receiving module  204  may receive, via social media application  206 , a second user input  216  from producer  210  selecting contributors  220 ,  222 , and  224 . 
     Receiving module  204  may receive second user input  216  in a variety of contexts. In some examples, an inaugural landing screen  218  for creating new shared stories may be presented via display element  214  by a display module of social media application  206  (e.g., in response to receiving module  204  receiving first user input  208 ). In these examples, receiving module  204  may receive second user input  216  from inaugural landing screen  218 . 
     Inaugural landing screen  218  may be configured with a variety of spaces that include selectable elements for creating a shared story, as illustrated in  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5A  includes an exemplary embodiment of an inaugural landing screen (i.e., inaugural landing screen  500 ) with multiple spaces: (1) a profile picture space  502 , (2) a story name space  504 , (3) a contributor space  506 , (4) a privacy space  508 , and (5) a story start space  510 . A functionality and/or configuration of each of these spaces will be discussed, in turn. 
     First, profile picture space  502  may allow producer  210  to select a profile picture for the shared story being created via inaugural landing screen  218 . In one example, profile picture space  502  may display a default profile picture (such as default profile picture  512 ). In this example, profile picture space  502  may allow producer  210  to accept the default profile picture or to select a new profile picture (e.g., from a photo database maintained by user device  202 ). 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 in  FIG. 5A . In another example, the default profile picture may represent an image most recently captured by a capture screen on user device  202  (e.g., prior to receiving module  204  receiving first user input  208 ). For example, the default profile picture may represent an image captured by capture screen  400  displayed in  FIG. 4  or composition screen  300  displayed in  FIG. 3 . 
     Second, story name space  504  may include a text box through which producer  210  may input a name for the shared story. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5B , producer  210  may input the name “Tokyo Times!” In some examples, story name space  504  may display a default name predicted (using a prediction module) based on context available to user device  202 . For example, the prediction module may predict the name based on a current location indicated by a location sensor within user device  202 . 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 application  206  and/or user device  202 . In this example, the default name may include the name of an event identified in the digital calendar. 
     Third, contributor space  506  may allow producer  210  to select one or more members of the social media platform associated with social media application  206  as contributors to the shared story. In some examples, the disclosed systems and methods may (using a prediction module) predict a list of users that producer  210  may wish to add as contributors to the shared story and may automatically display the predicted list of users in contributor space  506 . In these examples, contributor space  506  may be configured to allow producer  210  to accept and/or modify the automatically/predictively selected contributors. In one embodiment, an additional contributor screen (e.g., such as contributor screen  600  displayed in  FIG. 6 ) may be displayed in response to producer  210  selecting contributor space  506 . 
     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 input  208  was received from a capture screen (such as capture screen  400  in  FIG. 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 space  506  with the identified users. 
     Fourth, privacy space  508  may allow producer  210  to select a privacy setting for the shared story. In some examples, privacy space  508  may include a binary privacy button  514  that allows producer  210  to toggle between two privacy settings. For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , privacy space  508  may allow producer  210  to toggle between an open setting  516  (selected by default in  FIG. 5A ), in which contributors and friends of each of the contributors are permitted to view the shared story, and a closed setting  518  (selected by producer  210  in  FIG. 5B ), in which only contributors are permitted to view the shared story. 
     Finally, story start space  510  may include a start button  520  configured to initiate the creation of the shared story when selected via user input. Start button  520  may initiate the creation of the shared story by inviting the selected users to be contributors and/or by making the shared story live. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , at step  130 , one or more of the systems described herein may create the shared story with the selected members as contributors. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a creation module  226  may create a shared story  228  with contributors  220 ,  222 , and  224  as contributors. 
     Creation module  226  may create shared story  228  in response to a variety of triggers. In some examples, creation module  226  may create shared story  228  in response to receiving module  204  receiving a user input to inaugural landing screen  218 . Using the inaugural landing screen depicted in  FIG. 5  as a specific example, creation module  226  may create shared story  228  in response to receiving module  204  receiving user input selecting start button  520 . In other examples, creation module  226  may create shared story  228  in response to receiving first user input  208  or second user input  216  (e.g., without first presenting inaugural landing screen to producer  210 ). 
     Creation module  226  may create shared story  228  in a variety of ways. In some examples, creation module  226  may create shared story  228  by creating a shared story container to which digital story compositions created by contributors  220 ,  222 , and  224  may be added. Additionally or alternatively, creation module  226  may create shared story  228  by publishing shared story  228  via a stories consumption channel (e.g., by publishing a base story composition  230  created by producer  210  as 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 story  228  is published may depend on a privacy setting (e.g., selected from inaugural landing screen  218 ). For example, if producer  210  selected a private privacy setting to only share shared story  228  with contributors to the shared story, shared story  228  may only be published to stories consumption channels of the contributors. Alternatively, if producer  210  selected a public privacy setting to share shared story  228  with both contributors and friends of the contributors, shared story  228  may be published to the stories consumption channels of the contributors and to the stories consumption channels of the contributors&#39; friends. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , at step  140  or 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 in  FIG. 2 , creation module  226  may add story compositions  232 - 236  (created by contributors  220 - 224 ) to shared story  228 . 
     Creation module  226  may add story compositions  232 - 236  to shared story  228  in a variety of ways. In some examples, creation module  226  may add story compositions  232 - 236  to a shared story container created for shared story  228 . Additionally or alternatively, creation module  226  may publish story compositions  232 - 236  as part of shared story  228  via 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. 7  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of shared story  228  being presented to the consumption channel of a user via a user device  700 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , base story composition  230  may be displayed first, followed by story composition  232  created by contributor  220 , followed by story composition  234  created by contributor  222 , followed by story composition  236  created by contributor  224 . 
     Prior to adding the contributors&#39; story compositions to shared story  228 , the disclosed systems and methods may facilitate the creation of the contributors&#39; story compositions and may receive the story compositions from the contributors. A process for facilitating the creation of the contributors&#39; story compositions and receiving the story compositions from the contributors is described in connection with  FIGS. 8-14 . 
       FIG. 8  is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method  800  for generating a contributor story composition. The steps shown in  FIG. 8  may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/or computing system, such as the systems described herein. In one embodiment, the steps shown in  FIG. 8  may be performed by modules operating within a computing device. For example, the steps shown in  FIG. 8  may be performed by modules operating in a user device  902  of contributor  220  (e.g., as part of an additional instance of the social media application described above) as shown in exemplary system  900  in  FIG. 9 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , at step  810 , one or more of the systems described herein may present, via a display element of an additional user&#39;s computing device, a composition screen configured for creating digital story compositions. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a display module  904  may present, via a display element  906  of user device  902 , a composition screen  908 . 
     Composition screen  908  generally 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 screen  908  may allow a user to create a digital story composition to be shared on a stories consumption channel of a social media platform. 
     Composition screen  212  may include a variety of functional elements. For example,  FIG. 10  depicts an exemplary embodiment of composition screen  908  with various digital spaces: a text space  1000 , which enables the user to input text (e.g., via a text box), a media space  1002 , which enables the user to select and/or upload media items, and a metadata space  1004 , 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 in  FIG. 10 , composition screen  908  may 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 screen  908  may represent a dedicated media screen that receives media input and navigates to additional composition screen for receiving text, metadata, and/or other input. 
     Display module  904  may present composition screen  908  in response to a variety of triggers. In some examples, display module  904  may automatically present composition screen  908  as 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&#39;s on your mind?”) and composition screen  908  may 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 screen  908 . For example,  FIG. 11  is an illustration of an exemplary predecessor screen  1100  (a newsfeed screen in this example) with a composition icon  1102  that 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 to  FIG. 8 , at step  820 , 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 in  FIG. 9 , a composition module  910  may receive digital content submitted by contributor  220  via composition screen  908  and may create story composition  232  (e.g., as depicted in  FIG. 7 ) based on the content. 
     In some examples, as depicted by the story compositions (e.g.,  232 ) in  FIG. 7 , a digital story composition may include a digital image. Additionally, as depicted by base story composition  230  in  FIG. 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 in  FIG. 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 to  FIG. 8 , at step  830 , 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 in  FIG. 9 , composition module  910  may receive a user selection of a share button  914  displayed in a share screen  912 . 
     In some examples, share screen  912  may represent the final composition screen in a series of composition screens. For example, composition screen  908  may navigate to share screen  912  in response to contributor  220  selecting a push button indicating that the user is ready to publish the digital composition created using composition screen  908  (e.g., a “next” push button, a “share” push button, etc.).  FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of share screen  912  in which share screen  912  represents a final composition screen. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the final composition screen may allow contributor  220  to post his or her digital composition to his or her own personal story or to a shared story. In this example, share button  914  may represent a selection of shared story  228  as a channel for publication. 
     In other examples, a predecessor screen, displayed prior to composition screen  908 , may include selectable elements for designating a stories channel for which a user would like to create a digital composition. In these examples, contributor  220  may select an element within the predecessor screen indicating that he or she wishes to create a digital composition to add to shared story  228 , prior to composing the digital story composition. In this example, composition screen  908  may include a publish push button that automatically publishes digital story composition to shared story  228  (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 story  228  as the shared story  228  is being consumed. For example, contributor  220  may be viewing shared story  228  via his or her stories consumption channel and may select a push button included within shared story  228  inviting contributor  220  to add to shared story  228 . 
     Finally, at step  840  in  FIG. 8 , one or more of the systems described herein may add the additional user&#39;s digital story composition to the shared story in response to receiving the user selection. For example, composition module  910  may add story composition  232  to shared story  228  in response to contributor  220  selecting share button  914 . 
     In some examples, contributor  220  (along with each of the other contributors) may have been presented with a contributor landing screen after having been invited to join shared story  228  as a contributor. In one embodiment, the contributor landing screen may be presented in response to contributor  220  digitally accepting an invitation to be added as a contributor to shared story  228 . In another embodiment, the contributor landing screen may be presented in response to contributor  220  selecting a notification informing contributor  220  of having been added as a contributor to shared story  228 . For example,  FIG. 13  is an exemplary embodiment of a notification screen  1300  with a notification  1302  of having been invited to contribute to a shared story. In this example, a contributor landing screen may be presented to contributor  220  in response to receiving user input selecting notification  1302 . 
     The contributor landing screen may include a variety of elements, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 .  FIG. 14  depicts a contributor landing screen  1400  with various elements: a privacy element  1402 , a settings element  1404 , and an exit element  1406 . Each of these elements will be described, in turn. 
     First, privacy element  1402  may allow contributor  222  to modify the permission settings selected by producer  210 . For example, in embodiments in which producer  210  selected a public setting for shared story  228  (i.e., to share shared story  228  with contributors and with friends of the contributors), privacy element  1402  may, when selected, hide the shared story  228  from the friends of contributor  222 . Next, settings element  1404  may allow contributor  222  to edit one or more additional settings of shared story  228  selected by contributor  222  (e.g., a time frame for which shared story  228  will remain live). Finally, exit element  1406  may, when selected, remove contributor  220  as a contributor to shared story  228 . 
     Once shared story  228  has been published (i.e., becomes “live” in the consumption channels of users with permission to view shared story  228 ), shared story  228  may remain live for a designated amount of time. In one embodiment, shared story  228  may 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 story  228 . After the predetermined amount of time passes without any new digital story compositions being added, shared story  228  may be removed from the stories consumption channels of users who had permission to view shared story  228 . In one embodiment, shared story  228  may be archived and may continue to be accessible to the contributors of shared story  228  (e.g., producer  210  and contributors  220 - 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&#39;s contributors. 
     As detailed above, the computing devices and systems described and/or illustrated herein broadly represent any type or form of computing device or system capable of executing computer-readable instructions, such as those contained within the modules described herein. In their most basic configuration, these computing device(s) may each include at least one memory device and at least one physical processor. 
     The term “memory device,” as used herein, generally represents any type or form of volatile or non-volatile storage device or medium capable of storing data and/or computer-readable instructions. In one example, a memory device may store, load, and/or maintain one or more of the modules described herein. Examples of memory devices include, without limitation, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), flash memory, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Solid-State Drives (SSDs), optical disk drives, caches, variations or combinations of one or more of the same, or any other suitable storage memory. 
     In addition, the term “physical processor,” as used herein, generally refers to any type or form of hardware-implemented processing unit capable of interpreting and/or executing computer-readable instructions. In one example, a physical processor may access and/or modify one or more modules stored in the above-described memory device. Examples of physical processors include, without limitation, microprocessors, microcontrollers, Central Processing Units (CPUs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) that implement softcore processors, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), portions of one or more of the same, variations or combinations of one or more of the same, or any other suitable physical processor. 
     Although illustrated as separate elements, the modules described and/or illustrated herein may represent portions of a single module or application. In addition, in certain embodiments one or more of these modules may represent one or more software applications or programs that, when executed by a computing device, may cause the computing device to perform one or more tasks. For example, one or more of the modules described and/or illustrated herein may represent modules stored and configured to run on one or more of the computing devices or systems described and/or illustrated herein. One or more of these modules may also represent all or portions of one or more special-purpose computers configured to perform one or more tasks. 
     In addition, one or more of the modules described herein may transform data, physical devices, and/or representations of physical devices from one form to another. For example, one or more of the modules recited herein may receive user input and transform the user input into a digital social media composition. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the modules recited herein may transform a processor, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or any other portion of a physical computing device from one form to another by executing on the computing device, storing data on the computing device, and/or otherwise interacting with the computing device. 
     The term “computer-readable medium,” as used herein, generally refers to any form of device, carrier, or medium capable of storing or carrying computer-readable instructions. Examples of computer-readable media include, without limitation, transmission-type media, such as carrier waves, and non-transitory-type media, such as magnetic-storage media (e.g., hard disk drives, tape drives, and floppy disks), optical-storage media (e.g., Compact Disks (CDs), Digital Video Disks (DVDs), and BLU-RAY disks), electronic-storage media (e.g., solid-state drives and flash media), and other distribution systems. 
     The process parameters and sequence of the steps described and/or illustrated herein are given by way of example only and can be varied as desired. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various exemplary methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed. 
     The preceding description has been provided to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize various aspects of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. Reference should be made to the appended claims and their equivalents in determining the scope of the instant disclosure. 
     Unless otherwise noted, the terms “connected to” and “coupled to” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as permitting both direct and indirect (i.e., via other elements or components) connection. In addition, the terms “a” or “an,” as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning “at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “including” and “having” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”