Stephen Colbert welcomed Snapchat co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy to his popular Comedy Central program April 30, and got to the bottom of some burning questions on Americans’ minds. The startup created an app that allows users to send photos to one another that disappear within a matter of seconds. But Colbert wanted to know why anyone would want their photos to vanish. “What are the users of Snapchat ashamed of?” he asked.

According to Murphy, Snapchat was created to “change the notion of what a photograph is,” and allow people to use photos as a means of communication. The disappearing aspect of Snapchat allows photos to be used as normal communication “which is “ethereal and transient.”

Getting right to the heart of the matter, Colbert asked the pair if Snapchat is nothing more than a “sexting app.” But Spiegel explained since users can always take a screenshot or take a picture with another camera, it’s not a great way to send inappropriate photos.

But where do the photos go after they’re deleted, Colbert asked. Aren’t they on some server somewhere? Murphy guaranteed that once a photo is viewed it is not stored anyplace. In fact, Spiegel explained a piece of code follows each photo and permanently deletes it.

And of course, in true Colbert style, the pair were asked how they are making money from the app.

“Have you guys made a profit yet or does that disappear after 10 seconds, too?”

According to Murphy, Snapchat has been funded by some “patient investors,” but they are looking for ways to monetize in the future.