diff --git a/common/categories.ts b/common/categories.ts
index 9d290d66..2bd6d25a 100644
--- a/common/categories.ts
+++ b/common/categories.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { difference } from 'lodash'
+
 export const CATEGORIES = {
   politics: 'Politics',
   technology: 'Technology',
@@ -12,10 +14,19 @@ export const CATEGORIES = {
   crypto: 'Crypto',
   gaming: 'Gaming',
   fun: 'Fun',
-} as { [category: string]: string }
+}
+
+export type category = keyof typeof CATEGORIES
 
 export const TO_CATEGORY = Object.fromEntries(
   Object.entries(CATEGORIES).map(([k, v]) => [v, k])
 )
 
 export const CATEGORY_LIST = Object.keys(CATEGORIES)
+
+export const EXCLUDED_CATEGORIES: category[] = ['fun', 'manifold', 'personal']
+
+export const DEFAULT_CATEGORIES = difference(
+  CATEGORY_LIST,
+  EXCLUDED_CATEGORIES
+)
diff --git a/functions/src/create-user.ts b/functions/src/create-user.ts
index 09b1e638..9849fce4 100644
--- a/functions/src/create-user.ts
+++ b/functions/src/create-user.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import {
 } from '../../common/util/clean-username'
 import { sendWelcomeEmail } from './emails'
 import { isWhitelisted } from '../../common/envs/constants'
+import { DEFAULT_CATEGORIES } from '../../common/categories'
+
 import { track } from './analytics'
 
 export const createUser = functions
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ export const createUser = functions
       createdTime: Date.now(),
       totalPnLCached: 0,
       creatorVolumeCached: 0,
+      followedCategories: DEFAULT_CATEGORIES,
     }
 
     await firestore.collection('users').doc(userId).create(user)
diff --git a/web/components/contract-search.tsx b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
index afb9c398..34a00b76 100644
--- a/web/components/contract-search.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { ENV } from 'common/envs/constants'
 import { useUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
 import { useFollows } from 'web/hooks/use-follows'
 import { EditCategoriesButton } from './feed/category-selector'
-import { CATEGORIES } from 'common/categories'
+import { CATEGORIES, category } from 'common/categories'
 import { Tabs } from './layout/tabs'
 import { EditFollowingButton } from './following-button'
 import { track } from '@amplitude/analytics-browser'
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ function CategoryFollowSelector(props: {
   if (followedCategories.length) {
     const categoriesLabel = followedCategories
       .slice(0, 3)
-      .map((cat) => CATEGORIES[cat])
+      .map((cat) => CATEGORIES[cat as category])
       .join(', ')
     const andMoreLabel =
       followedCategories.length > 3
diff --git a/web/components/feed/category-selector.tsx b/web/components/feed/category-selector.tsx
index db9a856a..a39f7402 100644
--- a/web/components/feed/category-selector.tsx
+++ b/web/components/feed/category-selector.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { PencilIcon } from '@heroicons/react/outline'
 import { union, difference } from 'lodash'
 
 import { Row } from '../layout/row'
-import { CATEGORIES, CATEGORY_LIST } from '../../../common/categories'
+import { CATEGORIES, category, CATEGORY_LIST } from '../../../common/categories'
 import { Modal } from '../layout/modal'
 import { Col } from '../layout/col'
 import { useState } from 'react'
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export function CategorySelector(props: {
       {CATEGORY_LIST.map((cat) => (
         <CategoryButton
           key={cat}
-          category={CATEGORIES[cat].split(' ')[0]}
+          category={CATEGORIES[cat as category].split(' ')[0]}
           isFollowed={cat === category}
           toggle={() => {
             setCategory(cat)
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function CategorySelectorModal(props: {
             <Checkbox
               className="col-span-1"
               key={cat}
-              label={CATEGORIES[cat].split(' ')[0]}
+              label={CATEGORIES[cat as category].split(' ')[0]}
               checked={followedCategories.includes(cat)}
               toggle={(checked) => {
                 updateUser(user.id, {
diff --git a/web/components/tags-list.tsx b/web/components/tags-list.tsx
index 073d3947..a13bcd35 100644
--- a/web/components/tags-list.tsx
+++ b/web/components/tags-list.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import clsx from 'clsx'
-import { CATEGORIES } from '../../common/categories'
+import { CATEGORIES, category } from '../../common/categories'
 import { Col } from './layout/col'
 
 import { Row } from './layout/row'
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { SiteLink } from './site-link'
 
 function Hashtag(props: { tag: string; noLink?: boolean }) {
   const { tag, noLink } = props
-  const category = CATEGORIES[tag.replace('#', '').toLowerCase()]
+  const category = CATEGORIES[tag.replace('#', '').toLowerCase() as category]
 
   const body = (
     <div className={clsx('', !noLink && 'cursor-pointer')}>