Characterizing and managing social network interactions

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining a set of attributes of a social network comprising a first member and a set of historic interactions in the social network;

analyzing, by one or more computer systems, the attributes and the historic interactions to predict an effect of a potential interaction between the first member and a second member of the social network on subsequent interactions in the social network, wherein the predicted effect comprises a reduction in the subsequent interactions between the first member and members of the social network other than the second member; and

using the predicted effect to generate output for modulating the subsequent interactions in the social network, wherein the output comprises a recommendation to interact with a member of the social network other than the second member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions comprises:

applying a first statistical model to the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on a first type of the subsequent interactions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions further comprises:

applying a second statistical model to the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on a second type of the subsequent interactions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output for modulating the subsequent interactions in the social network comprises:

a recommendation to form a new connection between the first and second members.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potential interaction between the first member and the second member comprises a connection between the first member and the second member.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted effect further comprises:

an increase in the subsequent interactions between the first member and other members of the social network.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of historic interactions comprises:

a profile view;

a feed interaction;

an active interaction; and

a new connection.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of attributes comprises at least one of:

a set of connections between pairs of members in the social network; and

a set of member segments associated with the members.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the set of member segments is associated with at least one of:

an industry;

a company;

a company type;

a school;

a skill;

a decision maker;

a publisher;

a seniority; and

a job function.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

obtain a set of attributes of a social network comprising a first member and a set of historic interactions in the social network;

analyze the attributes and the historic interactions to predict an effect of a potential interaction between the first member and a second member of the social network on subsequent interactions in the social network, wherein the predicted effect comprises a reduction in the subsequent interactions between the first member and members of the social network other than the second member; and

use the predicted effect to generate output for modulating the subsequent interactions in the social, wherein the output comprises a recommendation to interact with a member of the social network other than the second member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions comprises:

applying a first statistical model to the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on a first type of the subsequent interactions in the social network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions further comprises:

applying a second statistical model to the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on a second type of the subsequent interactions.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the output for modulating the subsequent interactions between the first member and the other members comprises further comprises:

a recommendation to form a new connection between the first and second members.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the predicted effect further comprises:

a reduction in the subsequent interactions between the first member and other members of the social network.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the set of historic interactions comprises:

a profile view;

a feed interaction;

an active interaction; and

a new connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the set of attributes comprises at least one of:

a set of connections between pairs of members in the social network;

a set of member segments associated with the members; and

a level of engagement with the social network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the set of member segments is associated with at least one of:

an industry;

a company;

a company type;

a school;

a skill;

a decision maker;

a publisher;

a seniority; and

a job function.

18. A system, comprising:

an analysis module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

obtain a set of attributes of a social network comprising a first member and a set of historic interactions in the social network; and

analyze the attributes and the historic interactions to predict an effect of a potential interaction between the first member and a second member of the social network on subsequent interactions in the social network, wherein the predicted effect comprises a reduction in the subsequent interactions between the first member and members of the social network other than the second member; and

a management module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system use the predicted effect to generate output for modulating the subsequent interactions in the social network, wherein the output comprises a recommendation to interact with a member of the social network other than the second member.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions comprises:

dividing the set of historic interactions into a first subset of historic interactions over a first period and a second subset of historic interactions over a second period preceding the first period;

providing attributes and the first and second subsets of historic interactions as input to a statistical model; and

using the statistical model to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions in the social network.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the attributes and the historic interactions to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions comprises:

determining a first aggregated edge strength between the first member and other members in the first member's connections after the potential interaction with the second member;

determining a second aggregated edge strength between the first member and the other members in the first member's connections before the potential interaction with the second member; and

determining an evolutionary rate based on the first aggregated edge strength and the second aggregated edge strength, wherein the evolutionary rate is used to predict the effect of the potential interaction on the subsequent interactions.