Ephemeral digital story channels

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining (1) a primary story channel, for a user of a social networking platform, that is designated for digital story compositions created by the user and (2) a consumption interface, configured to be presented to at least one of the user or a contact of the user, comprising a stories summary ribbon with a row of tiles, each of which corresponds to a different user's primary story channel and each of which may be selected to view its corresponding primary story channel;

determining that a time period coincides with a life event of the user;

during the time period, (1) maintaining an ephemeral celebratory story channel designated for digital story compositions relating to the life event and (2) temporarily altering the appearance of a tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon; and

after the time period expires, discontinuing the ephemeral celebratory story channel, and the altered appearance of the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon, while continuing to maintain the user's primary story channel.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the life event comprises at least one of:

a birthday;

a wedding anniversary;

a purchase of a new home; or

a graduation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the ephemeral celebratory story channel during the time period comprises maintaining the ephemeral celebratory story channel in addition to maintaining the user's primary story channel.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the ephemeral celebratory story channel comprises:

maintaining a container configured to include:

digital story compositions created by the user that have been designated as intended for the ephemeral celebratory story channel; and

digital story compositions created by the user's contacts that have been designated as intended for the ephemeral celebratory story channel; and

posting the digital story compositions, which were designated by the user or that were designated by the user's contacts, to one or more additional users, wherein each posted digital story composition is designated as belonging to the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

during the time period, posting a temporary prompt to add digital story compositions to the ephemeral celebratory story channel; and

receiving user input to the temporary prompt initiating a story creation process to add a digital story composition to the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the user input to the temporary prompt comprises:

providing a selectable composition element within the temporary prompt; and

receiving user input selecting the selectable composition element.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the temporary prompt is included within at least one of:

an inaugural cover story of the ephemeral celebratory story channel;

a terminal story of the ephemeral celebratory story channel; or

an intermediate story of the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the temporary prompt is included within the stories summary ribbon.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein temporarily altering the appearance of the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel comprises at least one of:

encompassing the tile with a double circle; or

affixing the tile with an icon corresponding to the life event.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the time period, expanding the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel to reveal two tiles, the two tiles comprising a first tile that continues to correspond to the user's primary story channel and a second tile that corresponds to the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein expanding the tile to reveal two tiles comprises:

receiving user input selecting the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel; and

expanding the tile in response to receiving the user input.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising presenting one or more digital story compositions from the user's primary story channel in response to receiving user input selecting the first tile.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:

presenting one or more digital story compositions from the ephemeral celebratory story channel in response to receiving user input selecting the second tile; or

initiating a creation process of a digital story composition for the ephemeral celebratory story channel in response to receiving user input selecting the second tile.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the life event comprises an anniversary with an additional user; and

maintaining the ephemeral celebratory story channel comprises allowing the user's contacts and the additional user's contacts to post digital story compositions to the ephemeral celebratory story channel during the time period.

15. A system comprising:

a stories module, stored in memory, that:

maintains (1) a primary story channel, for a user of a social networking platform, that is designated for digital story compositions created by the user and (2) a consumption interface, configured to be presented to at least one of the user or a contact of the user, comprising a stories summary ribbon with a row of tiles, each of which corresponds to a different user's primary story channel and each of which may be selected to view its corresponding primary story channel;

determines that a time period coincides with a life event of the user;

during the time period, (1) maintains an ephemeral celebratory story channel designated for digital story compositions relating to the life event and (2) temporarily alters the appearance of a tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon; and

after the time period, discontinues the ephemeral celebratory story channel, and the altered appearance of the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon, while continuing to maintain the user's primary story channel; and

at least one physical processor configured to execute the stories module.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the stories module further:

posts, during the time period, a temporary prompt to add digital story compositions to the ephemeral celebratory story channel; and

receives user input to the temporary prompt initiating a story creation process to add a digital story composition to the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein temporarily altering the appearance of the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel comprises at least one of:

encompassing the tile with a double circle; or

affixing the tile with an icon corresponding to the life event.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the stories module further, during the time period, expands the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel to reveal two tiles, the two tiles comprising a first tile that continues to correspond to the user's primary story channel and a second tile that corresponds to the ephemeral celebratory story channel.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein expanding the tile to reveal two tiles comprises:

receiving user input selecting the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel; and

expanding the tile in response to receiving the user input.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

maintain (1) a primary story channel, for a user of a social networking platform, that is designated for digital story compositions created by the user and (2) a consumption interface, configured to be presented to at least one of the user or a contact of the user, comprising a stories summary ribbon with a row of tiles, each of which corresponds to a different user's primary story channel and each of which may be selected to view its corresponding primary story channel;

determine that a time period coincides with a life event of the user;

during the time period, (1) maintain an ephemeral celebratory story channel for digital story compositions relating to the life event and (2) temporarily alter the appearance of a tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon; and

after the time period expires, discontinue the ephemeral celebratory story channel, and the altered appearance of the tile corresponding to the user's primary story channel within the stories summary ribbon, while continuing to maintain the user's primary story channel.