Digital Wellbeing
PhotoFun is designed to get you off your phone and into the world. Here's how we keep it that way.
Our core belief: Technology should enhance real-world experiences, not replace them. Every design decision we make is measured against a simple question: does this encourage someone to explore more, or stare at their screen more?
The camera faces out, not in
Most photo apps are built around selfies, filters, and self-image. PhotoFun points the lens at the world around you. You photograph tiles, murals, sunsets, architecture, food, wildlife, and hidden details. Not yourself.
The result is a photo library full of places you've been and things you've discovered, not a feed of your own face. When the camera faces out, you notice more. You're present. You're exploring. That's what PhotoFun is for.
The app's job is to get you off the app
PhotoFun's core loop sends you into the real world. You open the app, see what to find, put the phone in your pocket, walk, look around, photograph something, and move on. There is no infinite scroll, no algorithmic feed, no autoplay content. You cannot complete challenges from your couch.
No vanity metrics
Many platforms center on follower counts, like counts, and public engagement numbers that drive comparison and anxiety. We don't.
- Follower counts are private (only visible to you)
- No public like counts on photos
- Leaderboards reward exploration effort (completing challenges), not social popularity
- Profiles show cities explored and badges earned, not social metrics
Positive-only interactions
There is no way to leave negative feedback on anyone's content in PhotoFun.
- No comments on photos (eliminates the primary vector for bullying)
- No dislike or downvote on anything
- No "X unfollowed you" notifications (we don't send rejection signals)
- The only reactions are hearts (event voting) and follows
No appearance-based content
Challenges are about places, objects, moments, and experiences. Never about how people look. No selfie challenges, no "best outfit" rankings, no beauty filters, no face-altering effects.
Built-in time awareness
- Each hunt shows estimated time upfront
- After completing a hunt, we congratulate you and stop. No "play next" autoplay.
- Maximum 2 push notifications per day, hard cap
- Quiet hours (10 PM to 8 AM) respected by default
- After 30 days of inactivity, we send one message. If you don't return, we stop. No guilt.
No dark patterns
- Unsubscribing from notifications is one tap, no guilt screen
- Deleting your account is straightforward with no hidden retention flow
- Premium upsells are honest. No fake urgency, no countdown timers.
- Privacy defaults to the most private option
Protecting young users
- Minimum age of 13, parental consent required for under-18
- No ads. Ever. Our business model is subscriptions and event services, not attention monetization.
- No behavioral profiling of minors
- No cross-app tracking or device fingerprinting
- Parents can request complete data deletion at any time
- School events use maximum safety settings with host moderation
What we will never do
- × Sell user data to anyone, ever
- × Serve ads or monetize attention
- × Use dark patterns to manipulate behavior
- × Implement infinite scroll or algorithmic feeds
- × Add DMs or open comments where bullying can occur
- × Add beauty filters or appearance-altering features
- × Display public follower counts or popularity rankings
- × Guilt users for inactivity or not spending money
- × Profile minors for advertising or targeting
- × Make account deletion difficult
I built PhotoFun because I believe technology should make the real world more interesting, not less. The best moments with this app happen when the phone is in your pocket and your eyes are looking at something you've never noticed before. If we've done our job right, you'll spend less time on your screen because of this app, not more.
Dena Hayes, Founder
Digital Wellbeing Policy v1.0. April 2026. Reviewed annually.