Location Aware Shared Spaces

Abstract

In one embodiment, a geo-social networking system maintains a data store of shared space, wherein each shared space comprises one or more content objects, a location, and one or more privacy settings. The geo-social networking system allows a user read-access to a shared space based on privacy settings associated with the shared space. The geo-social networking system allows a user write-access to a shared space if the user is at the location associated with the shared space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, by one or more computing devices, comprising:
 maintaining a data store of shared spaces, wherein each shared space comprises one or more content objects and is associated with a location;   allowing, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on one or more read access controls with the shared spaces; and   allowing the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the allowing, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on respective privacy settings associated with the shared spaces, further comprises:
 accessing data indicating a current location of the first user;   accessing the data store of shared spaces;   identifying one or more nearby shared spaces wherein each of the nearby shared spaces has a location within a threshold distance from the first user's current location;   selecting at least one shared space from the one or more nearby shared spaces based on respective read-access controls associated with the one or more nearby shared spaces; and   transmitting one or more content objects of the selected shared space to the first user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein read-access controls associated with a nearby shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the nearby shared space. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the allowing the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space, further comprises:
 receiving, from the first user, a message comprising one or more new content objects;   accessing data indicating a current location of the first user;   determining the first user's write-accessibility to the shared space based at least in part on one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space and a determination whether the first user's current location is within the threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space; and   updating the shared space stored in the data store of shared spaces with the one or more new content objects, if the first user has write-access to the shared space.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the shared space. 
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 a memory;   one or more processors; and   a non-transitory storage medium storing computer-readable instructions operative, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to:
 maintain a data store of shared spaces, wherein each shared space comprises one or more content objects and is associated with a location; 
 allow, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on one or more read access controls with the shared spaces; and 
 allow the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein to allow, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on respective privacy settings associated with the shared spaces, further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:
 access data indicating a current location of the first user;   access the data store of shared spaces;   identify one or more nearby shared spaces wherein each of the nearby shared spaces has a location within a threshold distance from the first user's current location;   select at least one shared space from the one or more nearby shared spaces based on respective read-access controls associated with the one or more nearby shared spaces; and   transmit one or more content objects of the selected shared space to the first user.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein read-access controls associated with a nearby shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the nearby shared space. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein to allow the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space, further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from the first user, a message comprising one or more new content objects;   access data indicating a current location of the first user;   determine the first user's write-accessibility to the shared space based at least in part on one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space and a determination whether the first user's current location is within the threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space; and   update the shared space stored in the data store of shared spaces with the one or more new content objects, if the first user has write-access to the shared space.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the shared space. 
     
     
         11 . One or more computer-readable tangible storage media embodying software operable when executed by one or more computing devices to:
 maintain a data store of shared spaces, wherein each shared space comprises one or more content objects and is associated with a location;   allow, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on one or more read access controls with the shared spaces; and   allow the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space.   
     
     
         12 . The media of  claim 11 , wherein to allow, a first user, read-access to the shared spaces based on respective privacy settings associated with the shared spaces, further comprises software operable when executed by one or more computing devices to:
 access data indicating a current location of the first user;   access the data store of shared spaces;   identify one or more nearby shared spaces wherein each of the nearby shared spaces has a location within a threshold distance from the first user's current location;   select at least one shared space from the one or more nearby shared spaces based on respective read-access controls associated with the one or more nearby shared spaces; and   transmit one or more content objects of the selected shared space to the first user.   
     
     
         13 . The media of  claim 12 , wherein read-access controls associated with a nearby shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the nearby shared space. 
     
     
         14 . The media of  claim 11 , wherein to allow the first user write-access to a shared space as long as the first user is within a threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space, further comprises software operable when executed by one or more computing devices to:
 receive, from the first user, a message comprising one or more new content objects;   access data indicating a current location of the first user;   determine the first user's write-accessibility to the shared space based at least in part on one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space and a determination whether the first user's current location is within the threshold distance of the location associated with the shared space; and   update the shared space stored in the data store of shared spaces with the one or more new content objects, if the first user has write-access to the shared space.   
     
     
         15 . The media of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more write-access controls associated with the shared space comprise one or more privacy settings associated with the shared space.