Displaying clusters of media items on a map using representative media items

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

grouping the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

displaying the first set of one or more clusters using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identifying a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

grouping the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

displaying the second set of one or more clusters using a second set of one or more representative media items;

wherein a location of a region in the first set of one or more respective regions is determined based at least in part on geocode information included in a representative media item in the first set of one or more representative media items.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more representative media items are displayed in the first map view in a non-overlapping fashion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a region in the first set of one or more respective regions has a predefined size and shape.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to change the first map view is associated with a zoom-in action, a zoom-out action, or a shift action.

5. A method, comprising:

identifying a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

grouping the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

displaying the first set of one or more clusters using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identifying a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

grouping the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

displaying the second set of one or more clusters using a second set of one or more representative media items; wherein:

a region in the first set of one or more respective regions has a predefined size and shape; and

a dimension of the region is determined based on a number of pixels of a dimension of a reduced resolution image and a number of pixels in a buffer region in the first map view.

6. A method, comprising:

identifying a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

grouping the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

displaying the first set of one or more clusters using a first set of one or more representative media items, including:

obtaining a geocode associated with a media item in the first plurality of media items and translating the geocode into a pixel location on a display screen;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identifying a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

grouping the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

displaying the second set of one or more clusters using a second set of one or more representative media items.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the geocode is obtained directly from a client device or from a social networking system.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

grouping the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

displaying the first set of one or more clusters using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identifying a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

grouping the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

displaying the second set of one or more clusters using a second set of one or more representative media items;

receiving a user input to view a cluster in the first set of one or more clusters or the second set of one or more clusters; and

in response to receiving the user input to view the cluster, displaying one or more media items included in the cluster.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

allowing a user to select a specific media item to view, comment, or forward.

10. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

identify a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

group the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

cause the first set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identify a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

group the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

cause the second set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a second set of one or more representative media items;

wherein a location of a region in the first set of one or more respective regions is determined based at least in part on geocode information included in a representative media item in the first set of one or more representative media items; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first set of one or more representative media items are displayed in the first map view in a non-overlapping fashion.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the request to change the first map view is associated with a zoom-in action, a zoom-out action, or a shift action.

13. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

identify a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

group the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

cause the first set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identify a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

group the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

cause the second set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a second set of one or more representative media items; wherein:

a region in the first set of one or more respective regions has a predefined size and shape; and

a dimension of the region is determined based on a number of pixels of a dimension of a reduced resolution image and a number of pixels in a buffer region in the first map view; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

14. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

identify a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

group the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

cause the first set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a first set of one or more representative media items, including to:

obtain a geocode associated with a media item in the first plurality of media items and translate the geocode into a pixel location on a display screen;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identify a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

group the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

cause the second set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a second set of one or more representative media items; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the geocode is obtained directly from a client device or from a social networking system.

16. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

identify a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

group the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

cause the first set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identify a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

group the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

cause the second set of one or more clusters to be displayed using a second set of one or more representative media items;

receive a user input to view a cluster in the first set of one or more clusters or the second set of one or more clusters; and

in response to receiving the user input to view the cluster, display one or more media items included in the cluster; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

allow a user to select a specific media item to view, comment, or forward.

18. A computer program product for clustering media items, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

identifying a first plurality of media items associated with a first map view of a map;

grouping the first plurality of media items into a first set of one or more clusters that correspond to a first set of one or more respective regions in the first map view of the map;

displaying the first set of one or more clusters using a first set of one or more representative media items;

in response to a request to change the first map view:

identifying a second plurality of media items in a second map view associated with the request;

grouping the second plurality of media items into a second set of one or more clusters that corresponds to a second set of one or more respective regions in the second map view; and

displaying the second set of one or more clusters using a second set of one or more representative media items;

wherein a location of a region in the first set of one or more respective regions is determined based at least in part on geocode information included in a representative media item in the first set of one or more representative media items.