A method comprising: by a computer system of a social-networking system, receiving authorization from a first user (101, 130) of the social-networking system to control at least in part one or more functions of a set-top box of the first user (101, 130), the STB comprising a digital video recorder, the social-networking system comprising a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes (302, 304) and edges connecting the nodes (302, 304), the nodes (302, 304) comprising user nodes that are each associated with a user of the social-networking system, a user node in the graph being associated with the first user; by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining one or more social actions of one or more second users of the social-networking system that are each associated with a user node in the graph connected to the user node associated with the first user by one or more edges in the graph, the social actions comprising posting messages to the social-networking system, interacting with a chat program of the social-networking system and receiving a phone call on a mobile device in which an app of the social-networking system is running; by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, from the one or more social actions, particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch; by the computer system of the social-networking system, sending an authorization message to the first user, the authorization message comprising a hyperlink operable to permit the first user to provide their approval to record the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch, the authorization message comprising an email or a text message; and by the computer system of the social-networking system, if the first user selects the hyperlink within the authorization message to approve the recording of the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch, providing one or more instructions for the STB of the first user to record the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch. by a computer system of a social-networking system, receiving authorization from a first user (101, 130) of the social-networking system to control at least in part one or more functions of a set-top box of the first user (101, 130), the STB comprising a digital video recorder, the social-networking system comprising a graph that comprises a plurality of nodes (302, 304) and edges connecting the nodes (302, 304), the nodes (302, 304) comprising user nodes that are each associated with a user of the social-networking system, a user node in the graph being associated with the first user; by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining one or more social actions of one or more second users of the social-networking system that are each associated with a user node in the graph connected to the user node associated with the first user by one or more edges in the graph, the social actions comprising posting messages to the social-networking system, interacting with a chat program of the social-networking system and receiving a phone call on a mobile device in which an app of the social-networking system is running; by the computer system of the social-networking system, determining, from the one or more social actions, particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch; by the computer system of the social-networking system, sending an authorization message to the first user, the authorization message comprising a hyperlink operable to permit the first user to provide their approval to record the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch, the authorization message comprising an email or a text message; and by the computer system of the social-networking system, if the first user selects the hyperlink within the authorization message to approve the recording of the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch, providing one or more instructions for the STB of the first user to record the particular media content that the one or more second users are planning to watch.