The Porn Circuit | Covenant Eyes Internet Accountability and Filtering

CHapter 6: Habits of Freedom
These three factors work like three legs on a stool: remove just one of the legs and the stool will
fall (or at least make it awkward to sit on).
The leg easiest to break is anonymity.
Many therapists agree that Internet accountability software is one of the most effective ways for
a person to protect themselves or their loved one online. Accountability software monitors how
the Internet is used and delivers a report to trusted friend, spouse, or mentor. It encourages
a person to think before they click and avoid temptations, which builds up the willpower and
decision making of the brain’s prefrontal cortex. It also allows mentors to provide guidance
and arms them with accurate information for in depth conversations with the person who is
struggling.
In 2011, a university study showed that using Covenant Eyes Internet Accountability with a
motivating friend as an accountability partner has a major impact on abstinence from porn.
John Y. Lee, a doctoral student of clinical psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary tested
a technique called Motivational Interviewing (MI), which provides knowledge about how
porn negatively impacts people with conversations that encourage and reinforce the person’s
confidence that he or she can avoid pornography. People who received both MI and Covenant
Eyes reported a 66% decrease in relapse episodes in the four weeks after receiving the
interventions, compared with a control group. 11
Lee wrote:
First, not only can both Covenant Eyes and MI be effective in reducing the frequency of pornography
use, many participants in the study were able to completely eliminate porn use after entering the
study and reported zero relapse episodes. Second, Covenant Eyes and MI, when used together,
appear to contain much promise in helping people really make a change in their pornography use
patterns.
A key to making an accountability relationship effective is to be honest about the triggers, cues,
and issues a person might face.
“If you have an accountability partner, tell him what your landmines are so you are not fighting
alone,” Dr. Doug Weiss writes in Clean. “If you don’t have an accountability partner, get one.
“All natural predators look for the animal that has strayed from the herd. Be honest and get
accountable so your brain doesn’t get the best of you. Honesty can be as simple as having
Covenant Eyes Accountability software on your phone and computer. When your wife, pastor,
or accountability partner gets the report on your Internet travels, this is a form of honesty that
can protect and help you lead and maintain a clean life.” 12
The Porn Circuit | 35