What is tapón?
tapón is an app and a physical device we created to help people break free from digital distractions.
We often found ourselves opening social media and games while working, reading, or spending time with our loved ones. And after doomscrolling through these apps, we usually couldn't even remember what we had just seen.
We initially created tapón for ourselves, then decided to launch it so everyone could benefit from it. Inspired by existing alternatives, which, by the way, are often very expensive, we wanted to create a DIY version that we could share with our family and friends. After many people told us that tapón could be useful to them, we decided to launch it for everyone and make the entire process of building your own physical device freely available.
How does it work?
Once your tapón is ready and the app is set up, you simply scan the tapón with your phone. The apps you have selected will then be locked. Even if you try to open them, you won't be able to bypass the lock screen until you consciously decide to scan the tapón again.
For example, if you're going to bed and don't want to spend time scrolling through TikTok before deciding that it's finally time to sleep, you can keep a tapón on the fridge and scan it before going to bed. Once you're in bed, going back to the kitchen to scan it again is inconvenient, so accessing TikTok becomes a conscious choice, and a very inconvenient one.
How do we sustain tapón?
The app is and will always befree. We don't plan to become billionaires from it. Like you, we have day jobs. We created tapón in our spare time because we felt we needed it ourselves, and we wanted to make it genuinely accessible to anyone who might benefit from it.
We plan to sell tapón charms at an affordable price to help maintain the app, but that's about it. If you don't want to buy anything from us, that's completely fine: you can download the available tapón charm models and make them yourself.
We won't sell your data. The app runs entirely on your device and doesn't require an internet connection, we don't have access to your information. All stored data will always remain yours. There are no logins, registrations, or usernames of any kind.
If you'd like to support us, you can buy a tapón starter kit, purchase a tapón charm, or donate any amount you wish. If you don't want to (or can't) that's okay too. We simply want you to be free from the algorithm.