Sharing images and image albums over a communication network

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including:

• determining a set of recipient users to receive access to one or more images, wherein an album data structure stores the one or more images, the album data structure being accessible to the set of recipient users over a communication network;
• determining, by a device, that a first recipient user of the set of recipient users is associated with a first communication channel;
• determining, by the device, a type of the first communication channel, wherein the type of the first communication channel is a first type of communication channel of a plurality of different types of communication channels, wherein the determining the type of the first communication channel includes:
• determining, by the device, that the type of the first communication channel is a particular application program based on determining that the first recipient user uses the particular application program, the particular application program enabling display of shared images;
• and
• in response to determining that the first recipient user does not use the particular application program, determining, by the device, the type of the first communication channel is email or short message service (SMS) based on a form of an address associated with the first recipient user;
• in response to determining that the first recipient user is associated with the first communication channel and determining the type of the first communication channel, providing, in a first sharing message, first information having a first information type selected based on the first type of communication channel, wherein each type of communication channel of the plurality of different types of communication channels is associated with a respective type of information to be included in sharing messages sent via the type of communication channel, wherein the first information includes a first link to the album data structure that stores the one or more images;
• receiving a share command to share the one or more images with the set of recipient users;
• and
• in response to receiving the share command, causing the first sharing message to be sent to a first recipient device of the first recipient user via the first communication channel, the album data structure being accessible to the first recipient device over the communication network,
• wherein in response to the type of first communication channel being the particular application program, the first communication channel is enabled to transmit notifications about changes made to the album data structure by one or more of the set of recipient users, and in response to the type of the first communication channel being email or SMS, the first communication channel is disabled to transmit the notifications about the changes made to the album data structure by the one or more of the set of recipient users.

A device comprising:

• a storage device;
• and
• at least one processor operative to access instructions stored in the storage device and configured to perform operations comprising:
• determining a set of recipient users to receive access to one or more images, wherein an album data structure stores the one or more images, the album data structure being accessible to the set of recipient users over a communication network;
• determining, by the device, that a first recipient user of the set of recipient users is associated with a first communication channel;
• determining, by the device, a type of the first communication channel, wherein the type of the first communication channel is a first type of communication channel of a plurality of different types of communication channels, wherein determining the type of the first communication channel includes:
• determining, by the device, that the type of the first communication channel is a particular application program based on determining that the first recipient user uses the particular application program, the particular application program enabling display of shared images;
• and
• in response to determining that the first recipient user does not use the particular application program, determining, by the device, the type of the first communication channel is email or short message service (SMS) based on a form of an address associated with the first recipient user;
• in response to determining that the first recipient user is associated with the first communication channel and determining the type of the first communication channel, providing, in a first sharing message, first information having a first information type selected based on the first type of communication channel, wherein each type of communication channel of the plurality of different types of communication channels is associated with a respective type of information to be included in sharing messages sent via the type of communication channel, wherein the first information includes a first link to the album data structure that stores the one or more images;
• receiving a share command to share the one or more images with the set of recipient users;
• and
• in response to receiving the share command, causing the first sharing message to be sent to a first recipient device of the first recipient user via the first communication channel, the album data structure being accessible to the first recipient device over the communication network,
• wherein in response to the type of first communication channel being the particular application program, the first communication channel is enabled to transmit notifications about changes made to the album data structure by one or more of the set of recipient users, and in response to the type of the first communication channel being email or SMS, the first communication channel is disabled to transmit the notifications about the changes made to the album data structure by the one or more of the set of recipient users.