Internet Accountability for Android™: The Covenant Eyes app is here
We are proud to announce the new Covenant Eyes app is available on Google Play. (Note: Your device must be enabled to allow non-market apps.) After many months of testing, we are pleased to release this new product!
Give the app a try and tell us what you think about it!
Below we answered some frequently asked questions about the app.
. . . .
FAQ #1: What does the Android app do?
The Covenant Eyes app does two things:
- It monitors all the web browsing on your device’s stock browser.
- It monitors the apps you use, noting their names, amount of time they were used in a given period, and some basic information about them.
All of this information is compiled into an Accountability Report. Note: There is now a new module on the Report that gives a list of all the apps that were used.
FAQ #2: Is the Android app different than the iPhone app?
These apps are very different.
Our app for the iPhone®/iPad®/iPod touch® (which we released in late 2009) is an Internet browser. This browser only monitors itself. (To make this effective, you need to set some Restrictions on your iOS device, so read our User Guide for more information).
Our Android app, however, monitors other apps. For your stock browser, it monitors all the web addresses you visit. For your other apps, it monitors which ones were used and how long they were used.
FAQ #3: How will the Android app help me personally?
With the increased use of mobile web comes a greater risk: More anonymity and more secrecy.
Of course, those who have ever owned a personal computer know this. Sitting all alone in a room with the whole virtual world at our fingertips, it is easy to use our time unwisely. How much more is this true when your gateway to the Internet fits in your pocket?
- Nearly one in five searches made from mobile devices are for pornography.
- Of all smartphone owners, about a quarter admit to having porn on their mobile device, and of these, 84% said their romantic partner doesn’t know about it at all.
- According to Juniper Research, the mobile porn market is estimated to hit $2.8 billion by 2015. They cite “privacy” and “the rise of smartphone adoption” as key drivers in this rapid growth.
- Today, a quarter of smartphone owners go online mostly using their phones, not a computer or laptop. The rise of new technologies creates a new challenge: how do we manage our time and priorities when we are always connected to the Internet?
Covenant Eyes uses the power of relationships to help you avoid these temptations. When you know a good friend, a spouse, or a mentor receives a detailed report of your Internet surfing and your app use, it changes how you use your phone.
FAQ#4: How will this app help me protect my teenager?
Teens face the same temptations on the their smartphones as a adults. The Internet is a place for teens to find information, express themselves, talk with friends, and explore their interests—many times without parental supervision.
In many homes, monitoring the Internet is a game of cat-and-mouse.
- 39% of teens admit to looking at websites or playing games they know their parents would disapprove of.
- According to one survey, 66% of parents say they check the web browsing history of their teens. But in the same survey, 42% of teens say they have cleared their browsing history after using the computer.
- 64% of parents do not use any monitoring software at home. Those that do rarely inform their kids about it.
Teen Internet use is even more private when cell phones come into the picture. Today about three-quarters of teens (12-17) own cell phones, and a third of young people (15-24) own Smartphones. And unlike the family computer, which can be placed in a central and visible location, cell phones are portable and personal. Most cell-owning teens (84%) sleep with their phone on or near their beds.
The Covenant Eyes app will help you monitor how teens are using their Android device. What games are they playing? How long are they watching TV programs? What websites are they visiting? How many hours are they using specific apps?
Teens can benefit greatly by living in a home atmosphere that is open and accountable. As teens branch out and desire more autonomy, there is still a great sense of security in knowing their parents have specific boundaries in place for them. By openly monitoring—not spying on—your teens’ cell phone habits, by talking with them about how they should and should not use their phone, you help them develop good habits over time.
FAQ #5: How much does it cost?
The Covenant Eyes Android app itself is free, but you must be subscribed to our Accountability Service to use it. Once you are subscribed, you can download our software on your Windows machine, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch—and your Android, of course.
For one username, the cost is $8.99/month. If you don’t already have a username, you can sign up here.
45 Responses to Internet Accountability for Android™: The Covenant Eyes app is here
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It monitors ONLY the stock browser? I have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and I use Chrome, it’s not going to monitor that is it?
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Correct. Limitations on the system prevent us from monitoring web browsing on other browsers. This is why it is critical for accountability partners to pay attention to the other apps used listed in the new Android App module on the Accountability Report. If other web browsers are downloaded and used, this is a good topic of conversation.
We encountered similar problems with developing our iPhone browser: it was the best we could create given the limitations Apple places on third-party apps.
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Great news that you are working on mobile solutions. Now that the android app is up and running are you going to be able to start work on a WP7/windows 8 tablet app?
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Hi Brent. The demand for WP7/Windows 8 tablet apps are pretty low, but we know the demand will slowly grow over time. We’ll let you know what our next priorities are for new developments!
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What would you say is a better, safer solution, an Android with CE or an iPhone locked down with CE?
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Hi Tom. It depends what you mean by “safe.” The iPhone can be at least locked down with a passcode (set by someone else) giving you no ability to download apps or use any web browser but Covenant Eyes. Because some apps have hidden browsers, this may be the best option. However, some prefer the Android app because it also reports on the other apps downloaded and used, which can provide more information for an accountability conversation.
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Luke,
Thank y’all for getting this out! One question – are y’all working on a “workaround”, so to speak, for the Install Helper? As it stands right now, if you forget to check the setting allowing non-market apps, you’re completely SOL (sorry…) if you download and install this. It render’s everything, phone included, useless – without a factory reset from recovery.
Thanks,
Nathan
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Hey Nathan. We are looking into ways to improve this across the board. However a factor reset is not the only option available when this is an issue. We have given some workarounds to our customer support team to talk people through this issue if it should occur. On many many devices, though, the phone will still allow you to enter “Settings” and check the box. There are some that do not.
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Really pleased to see that CE is expanding its usefulness. How soon will CE be available for Blackberry? There seems to be a big silence from CE on this, and I’m certain the demand is pretty high.
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Peter, there has been some demand for it, but not as much as one might think. We’ve received a handful of comments about it. I know covering more mobile devices is on the radar, but nothing in the works yet. We’ll let you know when something is started.
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Is ther any plans to have the iPad app do the same in the future with monitoring apps and other contents well?
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Hi Mike. Most of that is dependent on Apple. Their system restricts a lot what 3rd party apps like ours can do. We would love to make the accountability on iOS more airtight.
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This is a great blessing… but the app crashes with perfect regularity with EVERY web page opened… any solution?
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@Dan – Sorry to hear about that! What device are you using?
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Thanks CE for releasing this app. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve installed it on an ASUS Transformer TF300 and it works fine (except for the initial install when I should have read the instructions first…ending up bricking the tablet and had to do a factory reset). So, to everyone out there, read the instructions :) Other than that, keep up the good work and looking forward to further improvements.
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Is CE planning on adding an app locking feature to the android app? One that is capable of locking down the android uninstall on the operating system and Google Play?
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@Anthony – We’ll let you know if something is ever in the works, but currently nothing is being planned for this right now.
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I guess I posted my joy too quickly. After using the program on my tablet (ASUS Transformer Pad TF300t) for a month, I recently discovered after reading my reports that it does not monitor sites visited by using alternative browsers e.g. Firefox. I now realize that it only works on the stock browser. I downloaded Firefox because CE kept crashing the stock browser and assumed it would just monitor it as normal. The saving grace is that it still reports on the use of alternative browsers, which allows for accountability conversations to continue. I would strongly encourage the development of a CE browser, just like the iPad version for Android users. Keep up the good work though.
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I am a bit leery of getting an Android phone because I have my iPhone set up to where it is really impossible for me to get around CE. I have restricted apps such as Safari and Youtube, I have deleted apps that I had that had browsers inside of them (Facebook, etc…If you look hard enough there aren’t many non-native apps that don’t have a way to wiggle them into a browser). I also have new downloads restricted and my wife is the only one that knows my Apple password.
Luke- Are these things possible with Android? Can CE for Android see what pages you visit inside an app? On Androids is there a way to restrict downloads in the same way?
Do most apps on an Android have a browser inside of them in some form or fashion?
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Hi Joe,
Good questions. As far as we know, there is no way to achieve the same restrictions for Android you have set up on your iPhone. There are some third party apps created that lock down apps or lock down the functionality of certain apps, but we have really not tested these. If I were you, I would look at market reviews and see if there are any you’d be willing to try. I don’t believe there is any way to restrict downloads without rooting your phone.
The good thing about Covenant Eyes for Android is that we report on other apps that are used in addition to the websites visited on the stock browser. While we don’t monitor what you are doing with each app, we do monitor if it was used and for how long each day of the week. This reports more than what we are capable of reporting on iOS devices. But then again, iOS devices have more ability to lock down the use of specific apps.
I hope this answers your question.
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I downloaded the app onto my Droid Bionic. It generated reports that are ‘Mature’ and i want to lower the setting to MT (Mature Teen). However, when I open the app it only tells my I’m logged in and offers no settings.
Can you email a response to me?
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Hi Jerry. All the settings for Accountability Reports (regardless of the device used) can be found in the Member Center on our website. If you receive you own Reports, or any Accountability Partner who receives your Reports, you can log in to your account and go to the “Report Settings” area. There you can change the settings for the Reports that are delivered to you.
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Hello!
Like @Sherman Lau, on both my Asus Transformer T300 and my Samsung Galaxy S2, CE repeatedly fails when using the stock browser. Both of them run on Ice Cream Sandwich and I never had a problem on the Galaxy until my recent upgrade from Gingerbread. Is there a known issue with the ICS browser and CE? It not only crashes every 10-15 seconds on the browser, it crashes intermittently in apps as well.
Thanks!
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Hi Bill. What I would do is call our customer support so you can try our test version. There are known issues for some devices, but these are being fixed in the next update. Call them and they can hook you up. 877.479.1119
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Will do. Thanks, Luke!
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Luke,
To follow-up, I just installed the test version and it nearly locked up my phone. It was all I could do to get it uninstalled. So… I guess that’s not the answer. But I’ll manage with the older version, which crashes frequently but at least doesn’t lock up the phone so I can’t do anything else.
Just wanted to give an update, if that’s any help. Thanks again!
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Are there any plans to build browser extensions for this app? I would like to see one for Google Chrome and the Firefox ext to be fixed.
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Hi Craig. Good questions. I don’t believe that Chrome on Android supports extensions. As far as Firefox goes, there are no plans to revive development on that extension due to extreme lack of interest from our customers. (We threw a plugin party and no one showed up.)
As far as monitoring other browsers go, there are plans to monitor Dolphin and the Kindle Fire browser. In addition, Jellybean devices that have Chrome pre-installed as the default browser are already being monitored through our app.
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Ok thanks. Ill look forward to the Dolphin ext.
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Hi,
I noticed a comment that says that Android phones with Chrome as the default browser are supported – however, installing Chrome as a separate app is not supported. Just want to make sure that I am reading this correctly. Thanks!
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You are reading this correctly. Some phones have Chrome built into them as the default browser. If that is the case, Covenant Eyes monitors all the web traffic coming through Chrome. However, when Chrome is not the default browser but downloaded as an additional browser, Covenant Eyes will not monitor it. Chrome will be listed in the Apps section of the Accountability Report if Chrome is used, along with the date the app was downloaded and the amount of time it is used each day, but specific web addresses will not be listed.
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I would just like to monitor in the background which websites are being viewed and for how long. I would like this to be done anonymously. If I download covenant eye app than the person who I am monitoring will see it. Is there a way to disguise covenant eyes?
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You can hide the eye that appears in the status bar, yes. Just click on the app icon, and then press the menu button. You’ll see an option that says, “Hide Covenant Eyes icon in status bar.”
The sign in screen will, however, come up each time the phone or tablet is restarted.
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Hello Luke,
I have just purchased a galaxy note 2 android. It has stock browser, stock google search, stock google +, and stock you tube. Does CE monitor all of this internet access?
I understand it also monitors google play. ??
I’ve installed CE. Just fyi, it crashes 30 times a day minimum
Thanks
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Hi Derek,
The crashes are most certainly being looked into. I’m very sorry about the inconvenience.
As for what Covenant Eyes monitors:
- We monitor the URLs (web addresses) of the stock browser.
- We also monitor for how long other apps are used, but not the specific web addresses visited in those apps.
So, when it comes to conversing about your Accountability Report, your Partners will see all the web addresses you visited while using your stock browser in a given week. They will also see a day-by-day breakdown of how long you used other apps in a given day. We recommend Accountability Users talk to their Partners about any apps that are questionable.
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Hi,
Just wanted to ask if theres any update on thos frequent crashing.
Also I dont think the app corectly records the length of time I use certain apps. I know, for instance, that I listened to more music than is reported. Etc.. Does it not log backfround activity or something?
Any news or clarificarion would be most appreciated.
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Crash fixes are coming shortly.
As for reporting, the app only logs the time other apps are used in the foreground (i.e. visible on screen).
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I’m curious. If I’m running a rooted Rom that allows me to change the default browser (like cyanogenmod) would the app monitor chrome at that point? Also do you have plans for a superuser version (or option) that has the same features as the windows version (forcing all internet communication to go through CE so all activity gets monitored)? Rooting an android is not as hard as many people think, and there are plenty of apps in the play store that have advanced options for those of us who have rooted phones.
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Simply switching the default browser will not allow us to monitor the new browser. We still don’t gain the ability to interact with the app traffic directly in that scenario and changing the default doesn’t allow us to get it’s traffic on the back end. Currently we have no plans to create a version for rooted devices. It might help some people, but it would probably end up creating more problems than it solved if we couldn’t give adequate technical support to the wise variety of rooted devices and their configurations.
Does that answer your question?
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Is there a way to monitor email or picture downloads?
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Currently our app does not monitor e-mails, but it would monitor web pages accessed to acquire the downloaded images.
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does the monitor “porn mode” on the stock browser of the android phone. Any reference to private browsing I have found on CE webpage has been in reference to windows/mac on the computer – wondering if it does the same thing on the stock browser of the phone.
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Hi Jai, unfortunately we don’t monitor incognito mode on the stock browser (yet).