Project SEEN — Mechanics
The full participation flow, from sideloading the app to the moment a file is seen and deleted, featuring a demo of the app.
By pressing START, you agree to the following:
1. This app will automatically select and send random media files from your device to the project's servers.
2. You cannot choose which files are sent. By default, 5 files are sent every 4 hours. You can adjust this at any time.
3. The artist will be able to see photos, videos, and audio sent from this device.
4. Most files are deleted shortly after review. Some may be archived. You can see exactly what happens to your files within this app.
5. You can delete files from the server at any time. You may contact the artist within the app at any time.
6. This app only ever requests access to your photos, videos, and audio — never your full device storage.
7. You may opt out at any time by uninstalling the app or pressing "STOP SYNCING."
If you are not comfortable with this, do not press START.
To avoid transmitting files from before you were 18, we need your birth month and year. This is computed locally and never sent to the server.
Your birth date is not stored or transmitted. Only the computed cutoff date is saved on this device.
This app needs access to your photos, videos, and audio. It will never access your full storage or modify any files.
The app can notify you quietly when a sync happens. This is optional.
Android may pause this app to save battery, stopping syncs until you open it again. Allowing unrestricted background activity keeps things running — even after a phone restart.
Once you press start, your first sync will happen in 4 hours. After that, 5 random files will be sent every 4 hours. You can stop at any time from the panel.
By pressing START, you agreed to the following:
1. This app will automatically select and send random media files from your device to the project's servers.
2. You cannot choose which files are sent. By default, 5 files are sent every 4 hours. You can adjust this at any time.
3. The artist will be able to see photos, videos, and audio sent from this device.
4. Most files are deleted shortly after review. Some may be archived. You can see exactly what happens to your files within this app.
5. You can delete files from the server at any time. You may contact the artist within the app at any time for any reason.
6. This app only ever requests access to your photos, videos, and audio — never your full device storage.
7. You may opt out at any time by uninstalling the app or pressing "STOP SYNCING."
If you are not comfortable with this, do not press START.
The flow
Download & sideload the app
Please read the warnings and guides to installing the app here.
Read and agree to the terms
Upon opening the app, there are clear, brief built-in terms that explain its function and what you can do, so nothing surprises you.
Set your archive start date
The app asks for your birth month and year, but it is not stored. It uses this to establish the earliest point from which files are drawn; nothing before your 18th birthday enters the pool.
Grant permissions
The app asks for the two permissions it needs, you can learn more about them here.
Press START
The app will only transmit 4 hours after you hit START, and you can press STOP SYNCING at any time to pause it and return to the "Press START" screen.
The app passes files to the server
The server will make sure its safe to accept your files, and put them in front of the artist's panel for the next time I open it.
The artist sees it
When a condensed file is accepted, it enters the artist's view. The artist can request the full file if they want to look closer. The expectation is that 99% of files are deleted on sight. Witnessing is the act, not collection.
It is deleted
Every file is deleted within 30 days, usually much sooner. Occasionally a file may be archived and participants are notified when this happens. Deletion is the default and the promise.
Your controls
· You can view all the files the app sends to the server from the app and you can immediately delete any of them from the server (keeping them on your device). This is one of a few things that doesn't wait for syncs and instantly happens on the server, along with messages
· You may message me, the artist, at any time for any reason. Any grievances, concerns, curiosities, questions; I am truly happy to help or chat about anything. I feel like a line of communication significantly enhances the point of the project but I didn't want to force it on anybody.
Your controls
You control
How often the app transmits files, and how many files · The ability to delete your files from the server · When you stop participating entirely · A withdrawal request that purges any pending files from the server
You do not control
Which files the app selects to transmit · When the artist sees the file · Whether the artist archives it or requests the full file