Project SEEN — FAQ
The things people ask before they decide to participate.
Participation
Is this safe?
I say yes, but you should use your own discretion. The app doesn't use any more permissions than reading your media files and sending it to the server. I show you the contents of the app and the artist's view, and promise you everything that happens to the files you submit. The only question left to ask, and only you can answer this: do you trust me?
Can I see what's been sent before the artist does?
Yes. The app shows you every file that has been sent. You may delete any file before the artist sees it. Will you reliably keep tabs on the app to stop a file from being seen? Realistically, probably not, but the app notifies you whenever files are sent if you want to do that.
Who else can see my files?
Only I can--the artist. The server is privately-hosted and not shared with any third party. The condensed file packets are not distributed, sold, or used for any purpose other than this project.
What happens if the artist archives something?
On your end, you will see an icon in the app signifying that file was archived. On my end, it's still only stored in the server, but the 30-day auto-deletion that happens nightly will skip this file until it is un-archived.
Can I participate without the app?
Not at this moment. I wanted to keep the anti-curation spirit of the project, and so as much as I'd love to encourage users to submit a random file to the server, there is no programmable way neither on phones nor computers that would allow a website to access all of your media and pick a random one, software is necessary. The second that someone is prompted to "submit a random file", thought is going to be put into it, and it's curation again. That is the only hurdle.
The project is currently in "Chapter 1" as I call it, I only feel comfortable launching with my rigid tools so I can feel out my limits on scope and the problems that arise from the current setup. I hope this will inform how I make more ways to contribute to the project. A non-app iOS route is in my heart but I don't have the hardware.
Technical
Does the app run in the background?
Yes, with extremely negligible battery impact. You set how often the app syncs (the default is every 4 hours) and that happens even if the app looks closed. The app can also notify you when it syncs from the background. Occasionally, the app will really not be running in the background, usually after restart, and it won't be syncing until you reopen it.
What Android versions are supported?
The target version is Android 15 (SDK 35), anything later will work with this app. The minimum version is Android 8 (SDK 26).
Know that if you are on Android 12 or below, READ_MEDIA permissions don't exist, and you will be prompted to give MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permissions, a much more dangerous permission. But Android 13+ is like 2021 onward, hopefully no one needs to make that choice.
What does "advertising" a file actually mean technically?
It's just a scary back-end technical name I got too deep into to change. The app is technically "advertising" a file to the server, because the server doesn't automatically accept all files (that'd be scary for its security), it sees the advertisement then decides if it wants to have the file. See the Technical & Ethics page for a full breakdown.
How does the server decide to reject a file?
First let me make a distinction, because I as the artist can reject a file for any reason, which means I saw the file and told the server it can be deleted at midnight. If the server rejects a file, it never gets stored on the server and so I never saw it. The main reason the server will do this is if the file sent matches the hash of another file the server already saw--hash meaning, if the file is literally identical to a file I already rejected, to a T, the server says "this file was already seen", which shouldn't happen during most people's participation, the same exact file is never re-sent.
Is the app open source?
I neglected to open source the app because it would pose a pretty serious risk to the server if that code was public. I hope my transparency throughout this site offsets that, and sandboxing the app will also validate the exact functionality I say is happening in the background.
Leaving
How do I stop participating?
Hit the "STOP SYNCING" button in the panel, or uninstall the app. Both stops all file transmissions immediately. To also remove any condensed files already on the server, submit a withdrawal request.
How long until my files are deleted after I withdraw?
Pending files that have not yet been seen will be purged within 24 hours of a confirmed withdrawal request. Files already seen and deleted are gone. Files that were archived will be deleted per your request. As always, you have the power to delete your own files regardless of waiting on me.
What if I want to return at a later date?
The app will work on a reinstallation, and only new files will ever be transmitted--files you previously sent will be skipped.