Tracking device search party management

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a tracking server from a first computing device of a plurality of computing devices, a request to establish a search party to locate a tracking device associated with the tracking server, the search party comprising a subset of the plurality of computing devices;

selecting, by the tracking server based on the request, one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party, each criteria defining a requirement for a candidate second computing device;

identifying, by the tracking server, one or more candidate second computing devices, each candidate second computing device satisfying the requirement of each of the selected criteria; and

requesting, by the tracking server, the one or more candidate second computing devices to join the search party.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an acceptance of a request to join the search party from one of the candidate second computing devices; and

providing a last known location of the tracking device to the one of the candidate second computing devices.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, based on the request to establish a search party, criteria for establishing the search party;

determining that criteria for establishing the search party is not satisfied; and

modifying the criteria for establishing the search party or the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the criteria for establishing the search party includes a minimum number of second computing devices in the search party.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party comprises a threshold distance between a current location of a second computing and a location associated with the tracking device; and

wherein modifying the criteria for selecting the one or more second computing devices comprises increasing the threshold distance.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party comprises a threshold reputation of a user associated with a second computing device, wherein a reputation of a user associated with the second computing device is based on previous participation of the user in one or more search parties; and

wherein modifying the criteria for selecting the one or more second computing devices comprises reducing the threshold reputation.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party comprises a threshold distance between a historical location associated with a second computing device over a threshold period of time; and

wherein modifying the criteria for selecting the one or more second computing devices comprises increasing the threshold distance or expanding the threshold period of time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more candidate second computing devices comprises:

identifying one or more users of the plurality of computing devices with a preexisting relationship to a user of the first computing device on a social network.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a reward for locating the tracking device; and

wherein requesting the one or more candidate second computing devices to join the search party comprises sending a notification of the reward for locating the tracking device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a visual representation of the search party; and

providing the visual representation to the first computing device or one or more candidate second computing devices.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more metrics demonstrating a progress of the search party; and

providing a visual representation of the one or more metrics to the first computing device.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a first computing device of a plurality of computing devices, a request to establish a search party to locate a tracking device, the search party comprising a subset of the plurality of computing devices;

selecting, based on the request, one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party, each criteria defining a requirement for a candidate second computing device;

identifying one or more candidate second computing devices, each candidate second computing device satisfying the requirement of each of the selected criteria; and

requesting the one or more candidate second computing devices to join the search party.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processors are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an acceptance of a request to join the search party from one of the candidate second computing devices; and

providing a last known location of the tracking device to the one of the candidate second computing devices.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processors are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to perform operations comprising:

selecting, based on the request to establish a search party, criteria for establishing the search party;

determining that criteria for establishing the search party is not satisfied; and

modifying the criteria for establishing the search party or the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the criteria for establishing the search party includes a minimum number of second computing devices in the search party.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party comprises a threshold distance between a current location of a second computing and a location associated with the tracking device; and

wherein modifying the criteria for selecting the one or more second computing devices comprises increasing the threshold distance.

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

receiving, from a first computing device of a plurality of computing devices, a request to establish a search party to locate a tracking device, the search party comprising a subset of the plurality of computing devices;

selecting, based on the request, one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party, each criteria defining a requirement for a candidate second computing device;

identifying one or more candidate second computing devices, each candidate second computing device satisfying the requirement of each of the selected criteria; and

requesting the one or more candidate second computing devices to join the search party.

18. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 17 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to perform operations comprising:

receiving an acceptance of a request to join the search party from one of the candidate second computing devices; and

providing a last known location of the tracking device to the one of the candidate second computing devices.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 17 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to perform operations comprising:

selecting, based on the request to establish a search party, criteria for establishing the search party;

determining that criteria for establishing the search party is not satisfied; and

modifying the criteria for establishing the search party or the one or more criteria for selecting one or more second computing devices for inclusion in the search party.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 19 , wherein:

the criteria for establishing the search party includes a minimum number of second computing devices in the search party.