Imagine trying to replicate the motion of the wax in a lava lamp by using modeling clay. It’s very difficult to make modeling clay move at all, let alone have it mimic motion. Holding someone accountable can feel a lot like that. With people jumping around between work computers and home computers, smartphones, and tablets, it can feel a little intimidating to try to figure out when and why a person may have stumbled online.
That’s why 2016 will be the most ambitious year yet for Covenant Eyes. We’re breaking new ground in research and technology, all to provide better service to our users.
Better Education
Battling pornography, whether as a parent, as an individual who is struggling, or as a leader equipping others, is challenging. This is why Covenant Eyes invests so much in providing you educational articles, blog posts, e-books and videos. In 2015, we released an updated version of Porn and Your Husband, and two new e-books, More than Single: Finding Purpose Beyond Porn, and Fight Porn in Your Church.
Better Reporting
Covenant Eyes uses proprietary techniques to classify website visit types such as “visited” or “secondary.” However, sometimes we don’t know how to classify something. Through improved techniques, we found a way to classify more websites than ever before, making your reports cleaner and easier to understand.
If you are a Covenant Eyes Accountability Partner, you are interested in the sites your partner visits, but you likely want to know what led them to that site, what they did there and what happened afterwards. We’re almost ready to add Incident Reports to the Accountability Report to show you what happened before Highly Mature content was accessed. Was the user searching for inappropriate content, or did they stumble on it accidentally? This information should help create better accountability conversations about intention as well as help identify common triggers that can be avoided in the future.
One of the biggest criticisms we’ve received for our accountability app for iPhone is that we don’t provide any accountability or filtering for the Safari browser. We’ve been working on a new, patent-pending way to expand our service to provide better coverage across your entire device, including Safari.
Better Service
Covenant Eyes just opened a second location here in Owosso, MI. More than 100 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including media, local elected officials and leaders, and Covenant Eyes staff members. The location will house nearly 40 customer service representatives to provide you with shorter wait times and even more personalized service. We plan to use this site to work through some of the kinks in operating multiple locations so we can open offices across the country and possibly internationally.
Lastly, we have heard countless requests for improved reporting of photos and videos. Using a new process built off state-of-the-art technology, we are thrilled to announce that we have developed a new, patent-pending image recognition software. Short-term, this means better reporting of inappropriate images…and it has some long-term implications for video as well.
Want to see this in action? There is a demo that shows some of the capabilities of this new system in the video above. The moment of the kiss is flagged as possibly inappropriate (represented by the dip downward). Compare that to the analysis of a pornographic video, where the line stays at the bottom of the graph (“pornographic content”) until the very end, which is presumably when the clothing goes back on. Remember, this isn’t necessarily how it will appear on your Accountability Report…but it’s exciting, and we wanted you to share our excitement.
We are still researching this technology, and are in the process of deciding how to report it and integrate it into our software and apps, but we’re getting close. Look for an announcement with more details this summer.
We’re excited to offer you these exciting updates, and we’ve got even more planned. Leave us a comment to tell us what features you’re most excited about or what you’d like us to pursue.
It’s halfway through March – any news on this update?
Hello, Matt – I just added this update to the top of the blog post: “March 2017 Update: It has been over a year since we first mentioned our new technology for the iPhone that will provide enhanced accountability. We have been in Beta testing for over six months on the technology and we have discovered a few difficult issues that we are diligently trying to resolve. We cannot put a timeframe on when the issues will be fixed, but we are working hard toward that end. We sincerely apologize for the delay. We know that it has been frustrating for our customers who are patiently waiting. We too are frustrated. But we are not giving up and hope to find a resolution soon.”
Thank you for your patience,
Chris
I’m trying to be patient. It’s been almost a year. I’m really looking forward to this new iOS capability!
Hi, David – I know. It’s been too long! Trust me, you’ll know when it happens. Thank you for your patience.
Chris,
Above you mentioned a possible formal update to this iOS app in the coming weeks; anything yet or any hints you could give up? :-)
Thanks.
Hi, Matt – in Marketing we have all of our articles and posts ready for when we’re told it’s finally released, so we’re close! Deeper app monitoring, forced safe search, more – it’s going to be good.
Checking in for an update on the iOS expansion development. Any news?
Hello, Trent – thank you for your patience. You should expect to see a more formal announcement about the iOS Accountability Extension soon (within weeks, I hope).
Peace, Chris
As I’ve read through the comments I have seen that many people have come across the same problem I have. There’s a major loophole that can allow you to access an in-app-browser, even on apps that have no need for a browser. If you run across an app that allows to to access a browser, thus accessing Google, you can then freely search anything you want. To solve this, even if you have “install apps” and Safari disabled, follow these steps.
Settings>restrictions>websites. Then you need to check mark “limit adult content”, then for even more security, click “add website” under “NEVER ALLOW” and add http://www.google.com, etc…
This will prevent access to mature rated sites and google globally across the phone.
Look at this article for more info
http://www.imore.com/how-block-specific-websites-being-accessed-safari-iphone-and-ipad
Hi,
I was wondering if you had any ETA on the public update for iPhone or other details. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new app.
Thanks!
Hi, Daniel – I do not have an ETA. I’ve tried providing one based on what I’ve been told, but to be honest, we just keep having delays. Everyone is away for break now, and so I can’t check with anyone today to see where we’re at. Thank you for your patience. I don’t like being elusive. I can tell that you are someone who would love to have greater iPhone coverage (as would I). I’ve tested a Beta version of it, and its ability to force a Google safe search and also to force some YouTube control is so helpful. I’m hoping we can provide a more detailed update during Q1 2017. Hang tight!
Chris
Chris, just wanting what you offered to Tim. Is there any update? Is the project being scrapped or is it going to happen?
Your message to Tim:
“Hi, Tim! I just emailed you a link to a video with an update from Ron. We continue to work hard! iOS is a complex puzzle – more complex at every turn, but we’re pressing on.
Chris”
Hello, Matt – you bet. Man, we are getting close. We are in our second Beta test round with TMS right now. I’ll send you a link to the video update I sent Tim, through your email. Please look for it and reply with any questions.
Peace, Chris
Can we have another update? I signed up for the beta, but I haven’t received anything. I also never received a video from the CEO. Thank you!
Hi, Richard – I’ll send your email to the team managing the Beta. I’m sorry that you haven’t received anything.
Chris
Same here, if the public is being allowed to test the beta, please feel free to let me help as well! I’m signed up but haven’t heard anything.
Thanks!
Hello, Lance – I checked with the product development manager just yesterday, and he said that we don’t need additional testers at the moment. Thank you for offering!
Peace, Chris
Chris, could I also have that emailed to me? Been wanting this for a while, and honestly need it. Thanks
Hi, Matt, I’d like to help. Can you clarify what I can email to you? Thanks!
Chris
How do we see this video from the CEO on the current iOS update? Is it coming anytime soon or is the project being abandoned? Thanks for all the work you do.
Hi, Tim! I just emailed you a link to a video with an update from Ron. We continue to work hard! iOS is a complex puzzle – more complex at every turn, but we’re pressing on.
Chris