How Helpful is Accountability Software for those Struggling with Porn Addiction?
Sexual abuse, pornography addiction and human trafficking have become hot topics in both the secular and religious worlds. For more than 20 years, accountability programs like Covenant Eyes have been what many utilize to keep families safe and help those who struggle.
The Concept of Accountability Software
The idea began shortly after Ron DeHaas, president and co-founder of Covenant Eyes, first got internet service in 1999. He was concerned about his two teenage son’s online safety. “I learned that it was possible to monitor where we go on the internet, and he made it happen,” DeHaas said. “I wanted a report.”
After asking pollster George Barna to include 517 long-time Covenant Eyes users as part of 2,518 surveyed in Barna’s report, “The Porn Phenomenon,” DeHaas stated: “I have evidence that my instincts were correct — accountability works.” When asked, “Accountability: Does anyone help you avoid porn?” DeHaas cited that Covenant Eyes participants ranked higher than others polled.
Who Uses Accountability Tools?
A 2014 USA Today Tech article stated, “Most of Covenant Eyes’ customers are families. But an overlapping 40% are ‘men who want accountability for themselves.’” DeHaas noted that these individuals are “recognizing that, even if they don’t have a problem, there’s still a temptation out there and they don’t want the temptation.”
Technical Limitations and Circumvention
Though Covenant Eyes can help those struggling with pornography, cases show that accountability software isn’t foolproof. No program is. If someone wants to access porn, he could use friends’ phones or computers.
| Type of Limitation | Detailed Description from Evidence |
|---|---|
| Hardware Incompatibility | Software might be incompatible with smart TVs, gaming consoles and certain hardware. |
| Content Gaps | Some read explicit stories the program doesn’t detect. |
| Deliberate Bypassing | Downloaded special software that allowed him to bypass it; partitioned hard drives and browsers to access the dark web. |
As seen in recent trials, an individual was able to view images even though he had a program like Covenant Eyes on his computer. This wasn’t an accident. This was planned, premeditated and probably going on for a long time.
The Role of Shame and Support
Mark Brouwer, pastor and workshop presenter, admitted accountability is “overrated” and can be used in recovery, but only later in the process. Citing shame and isolation as major components of sexual struggles, he said what’s needed most is friendship and support, not confrontation. In fact, “accountability confrontations can wind up heightening strugglers’ sense of shame and reinforcing their tendency to keep their struggles secret.”
John D*, who struggled with pornography for 32 years, said: “I don’t fit into that subset of people who are ‘normal’ and don’t believe Covenant Eyes would have prevented me from acting out.” He continued that the knowledge that a report would be sent to a wife or sponsor might make one avoid online porn, but it “would just lead me to another way to act out. [It] wouldn’t stop me.”