Reducing load to downstream services by filtering requests

A method comprising:

• receiving a first plurality of requests from one or more content item requesters;
• retrieving a plurality of filters and an order configuration specifying an order to apply the plurality of filters for each request of the first plurality of requests,
• wherein applying each filter of the plurality of filters includes making a determination on whether to proceed with a subsequent filter determined by the order;
• for each request in the first plurality of requests:
• applying, to said each request, a subset of the plurality of filters based on the order;
• removing said each request from the first plurality of requests to create a second plurality of requests if said each request satisfied a filter in the subset of the plurality of filters;
• sending, to a membership resolution service, data associated with said each request only if said each request did not satisfy any filter in the subset of filters, wherein the membership resolution service determines whether an entity associated with said each request is a member of a social network service;
• for each request of the second plurality of requests whose data is sent to the membership resolution service:
• receiving a response from the membership resolution service;
• if the response indicates that an entity is associated with said each request is a member of the social network service, then:
• identifying a plurality of content items that satisfy said each request;
• selecting a content item from among the plurality of content items;
• causing the content item to be sent to a content item requester from which said each request was received.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more data stores including information on one or more content items;
• one or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause:
• receiving a first plurality of requests from one or more content item requesters;
• for each request in the first plurality of requests:
• retrieving from an initial configuration file, based on data associated with said each request and from among a plurality of filter configurations, a particular filter configuration that indicates a plurality of filters and an order configuration to apply the plurality of filters;
• applying, to said each request, a subset of the plurality of filters based on the order configuration;
• removing said each request from the first plurality of requests to create a second plurality of requests if said each request satisfies a filter in the subset of the plurality of filters;
• sending, to a downstream service, data associated with said each request only if said each request did not satisfy any filter in the subset of filters, wherein the downstream service determines whether an entity associated with said each request is a member of a social network service;
• for each request of the second plurality of requests whose data is sent to the downstream service:
• receiving a response from the downstream service;
• if the response indicates that an entity is associated with said each request is a member of the social network service, then:
• identifying a plurality of content items that satisfy said each request;
• selecting a content item from among the plurality of content items;
• causing the content item to be sent to a content item requester from which said each request was received.