Systems and methods for sharing images in a social network

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices of a social-networking system:

determining that one or more new photographs have been captured by a client computing device of a user of the social-networking system, each photograph comprising metadata;

identifying a user account of the user within the social-networking system;

generating a fingerprint for each of the one or more new photographs, respectively, each fingerprint being based on characteristics of the respective photograph and configured to uniquely identify the respective photograph;

automatically and without user input, fetching from the client computing device one or more of the new photographs for storage in association with the user account within the social-networking system; and

determining for each photograph whether the photograph or a similar photograph has previously been uploaded to the social-networking system by comparing the fingerprint of the photograph with one or more fingerprints stored within the social-networking system and comparing the metadata of the photograph with metadata stored within the social-networking system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that one or more new photographs have been captured comprises monitoring, by the social-networking system, designated locations for captured images on the user device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs immediately upon the photographs being captured by the client computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs in a batch operation at designated time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs in a batch operation when certain conditions are met.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a filter or process is applied to the image.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the filter or process is one or more of compressing the photograph, altering the appearance of the photograph, changing the file format of the photograph, or applying a visual effect to the photograph.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the fingerprint comprises using perceptual image hashing techniques.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the fingerprint comprises using a histogram analysis.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deleting each photograph that is determined to have been previously uploaded to the social-networking system or have a similar photograph previously uploaded to the social-networking system.

11. The method of claim 1 , where metadata comprises one or more of a timestamp, file size, information about a lens used to capture the photograph, and information about one or more camera settings used to capture the photograph.

12. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

determine that one or more new photographs have been captured by a client computing device of a user of the social-networking system, each photograph comprising metadata;

identify a user account of the user within the social-networking system;

generate a fingerprint for each of the one or more new photographs, respectively, each fingerprint being based on characteristics of the respective photograph and configured to uniquely identify the respective photograph;

automatically and without user input, fetch from the client computing device one or more of the new photographs for storage in association with the user account within the social-networking system; and

determine for each photograph whether the photograph or a similar photograph has previously been uploaded to the social-networking system by comparing the fingerprint of the photograph with one or more fingerprints stored within the social-networking system and comparing the metadata of the photograph with metadata stored within the social-networking system.

13. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein determining that one or more new photographs have been captured comprises monitoring, by the social-networking system, designated locations for captured images on the user device.

14. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs immediately upon the photographs being captured by the client computing device.

15. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs in a batch operation at designated time intervals.

16. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein fetching the one or more photographs occurs in a batch operation when certain conditions are met.

17. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein a filter or process is applied to the image.

18. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 17 , wherein the filter or process is one or more of compressing the photograph, altering the appearance of the photograph, changing the file format of the photograph, or applying a visual effect to the photograph.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein generating the fingerprint comprises using perceptual image hashing techniques.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein generating the fingerprint comprises using a histogram analysis.

21. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to delete each photograph that is determined to have been previously uploaded to the social-networking system or have a similar photograph previously uploaded to the social-networking system.

22. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 12 , wherein metadata comprises one or more of a timestamp, file size, information about a lens used to capture the photograph, and information about one or more camera settings used to capture the photograph.

23. A social-networking system comprising:

one or more processors associated with the social-networking system; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:

determine that one or more new photographs have been captured by a client computing device of a user of the social-networking system, each photograph comprising metadata;

identify a user account of the user within the social-networking system;

generate a fingerprint for each of the one or more new photographs, respectively, each fingerprint being based on characteristics of the respective photograph and configured to uniquely identify the respective photograph;

automatically and without user input, fetch from the client computing device one or more of the new photographs for storage in association with the user account within the social-networking system; and

determine for each photograph whether the photograph or a similar photograph has previously been uploaded to the social-networking system by comparing the fingerprint of the photograph with one or more fingerprints stored within the social-networking system and comparing the metadata of the photograph with metadata stored within the social-networking system.