History

In the year 2000, Covenant Eyes founder Ron DeHaas recognized the dangers and possibilities of the internet. Although the digital landscape was primitive compared to today’s online metropolis, Ron understood the implications for the future. He asked the same questions many ask today: 

• “How can I teach my children to use the internet with integrity?”
• “How do I guard my own heart and remain pure online?”
• “How do I serve as an example to my family and church?” 

He knew what he wanted—a report that would keep track of internet usage and encourage conversations about healthy browsing habits—but it didn’t exist. There were only content blockers.

So Ron invented Internet Accountability.

At the time, Ron had employed a young man named Collin Rose to do yard work and maintenance. Collin’s passion was technology, so when Ron asked him if he could report his internet history, Collin leapt at the opportunity.

“What he created formed the basis for our accountability service for the next 19 years”

Ron DeHaas
CEO

Building Covenant Eyes

Concept

The concept of Internet Accountability was simple: it tracked the URLs of all the websites visited on the computer and put them in a report.  
But Ron and Collin realized that Internet Accountability had the potential to help more than just parents. With all the temptations of the internet, everyone could benefit from being accountable.

Remote Server

For that to work effectively, however, they needed a way for someone’s allies to view the reports even if they didn’t have direct access to the computer being monitored. So, Collin built a remote server, where the reports would be uploaded. He contracted a software developer to build an application that would run in the background on the computer and communicate with the server. 

Despite the simplicity of the concept, this required both software development and extensive network infrastructure to support the reporting system.

This was all very expensive. Ron invested all his financial resources into building the technological backbone of the Accountability Service and setting up shop in the back of an insurance office in Corunna, Michigan.

Windows Release

Covenant Eyes 1.0 for Windows was released in June of 2000. Ron created a proprietary scoring algorithm to analyze and rate websites. Over the next 18 years this algorithm would continue to be refined and enhanced to accurately categories hundreds of millions of websites.

But there was a bigger challenge at the beginning of Covenant Eyes: confronting the shame and secrecy that surrounded the issue of pornography. In the early 2000’s, few Christians broached the subject of pornography. At the same time, pornography use was becoming increasingly common. How could Covenant Eyes help people if no one wanted to talk about it?

Network

Covenant Eyes began networking with churches and other organizations to raise awareness about the issue of pornography, confront the shame around it, and spread the word about the freeing power of accountability. 

10,000 Members

In 2004, Covenant Eyes was serving 10,000 members. The following year, that number had doubled to 20,000 members spread across 67 different countries. Covenant Eyes was also testing a new content filter and software for Mac computers. Covenant Eyes was now a 14-person team. But by the year of 2006, the number of employees would double.

The early years were tough. Even with the growing membership, the costs to get Covenant Eyes off the ground were enormous. What revenue Covenant Eyes did generate went straight back into developing the service. It was only by using their network infrastructure to launch a local internet provider that Covenant Eyes was able to remain in business.

“I didn’t have money to go to McDonalds to buy a cup of coffee.”

Ron DeHaas
CEO

Finally, in 2006, Covenant Eyes became self-sustaining.

In 2007, the first iPhone took the world by storm. Covenant Eyes members using Windows and Mac software had now reached 40,000. The Covenant Eyes team was continuing to expand as well, with 34 employees, all working locally in Michigan. Ron DeHaas told the local newspaper, “Right now we have offices on three separate blocks in Corruna and our staff is separated physically.”

It was time to move. Covenant Eyes leadership identified a vacant factory at 1525 King St. in nearby Owosso. The property was purchased early in 2007, and Covenant Eyes celebrated the grand opening of its new world headquarters on August 3rd, 2007.

Membership Growing

But Covenant Eyes leadership recognized the need for more public conversation about pornography in the Christian community. More Christians were admitting they had a problem, but there were few places to turn for help.

To help address this problem, in 2007, Covenant Eyes created a blog. The blog allowed Covenant Eyes to speak candidly about pornography from a Christian perspective. It featured helpful advice from former porn addicts, former porn stars, wives of porn addicts, and concerned parents.

The blog built a large readership over the next several years. In addition to helpful advice and encouragement for people dealing with pornography, the blog featured interviews and guest posts from prominent Christian leaders, addiction therapists, and even former porn stars. It gave a place for people to talk about their experiences with pornography and how accountability helped them find freedom. It allowed Covenant Eyes to create an online community of likeminded people.

At this time, Covenant Eyes also began collecting statistics and research data on pornography. Covenant Eyes released its first Porn Stats compilation in 2009. Since then, Covenant Eyes Porn Stats has been featured in The Washington Times, The Detroit News, Life Site News, and many other notable organizations, and is used by tens of thousands of people each year for pornography research.

More people in the Christian community were talking about the issue of pornography now, but there was still a desperate need for resources. What could someone do who discovered their spouse’s addiction? How could parents initiate healthy conversations with their teens? What sorts of questions should an ally ask someone who’s trying to overcome pornography? To address this need, Covenant Eyes began publishing ebooks and other educational resources. In the coming years, education would increasingly be a focus of Covenant Eyes, eventually branching out into email challenges, app-based content, and video teaching courses.