Understanding Filtering for Screen Accountability™

  

Covenant Eyes partners with CleanBrowsing, a filtering company, to provide website blocking. This means that if a Covenant Eyes member, who is using the Filter service, attempts to visit a pornographic website on any device, then CleanBrowsing will block the site.

Are there different blocking options?

Yes, there are two blocking levels available:

Adult Blocking (standard) blocks access to all adult, pornographic, and explicit websites. It does not block proxy or VPN domains. Mixed-content sites (like Reddit) are allowed. Google and Bing are set to use SafeSearch.

Family Blocking (blocks more) blocks access to all adult, pornographic, and explicit websites. It blocks some proxy and VPN domains. Some mixed-content sites (like Reddit) are blocked. Google, Bing and Yahoo are set to use SafeSearch. YouTube’s (moderate) Restricted Mode is put into action.

How do I change the blocking level?

The Filter Guardian, whether it’s you or someone else, is the person who can change the settings. To do so, sign into My Account, select “Manage Members,” and click on “Filtering.”

Select either the Adult Blocking Level (standard blocking) or the Family Blocking Level (increased blocking). Be sure to click the blue, “Save Settings” button.

What is the Block list?

This is a tool for customizing the Filter settings; you can use it to help yourself or the person you are assisting. If our standard website blocker (powered by CleanBrowsing) doesn’t block troublesomesite.example and you want that site blocked, you can add troublesomesite.example to the Block list, refresh the app, and Covenant Eyes will start blocking that member’s access to troublesomesite.example.  For full details, read the article “Block List for Screen Accountability™”.

What is the Allow list?

This tool provides a DIY fix when a safe site is being blocked. The Filter Guardian can add safesite.example to the member’s Allow list and refresh the app; then Covenant Eyes will allow access to safesite.example. For additional details, read “New Tool! Allow List for Screen Accountability™.”

What about apps?

The current focus is using CleanBrowsing’s expertise to block known pornography sites. CleanBrowsing will block access to explicit sites in our app or other apps. If the blocking doesn’t occur, for whatever reason, our Screen Accountability™ service is ready to capture and report concerning screenshots in those apps. If blocking apps is important in your situation, then you’ll want to read about using Apple’s built-in tool for an iPhone® (Screen Time) or using our App Lock feature for Android™ devices.

What about social media?

With a few exceptions, most social media will be accessible/allowed. With the Screen Accountability service, we’re able to capture and report any concerning screenshots that would result from time spent on a social media site or in a social media app.

SafeSearch is a search engine’s optional, internal filter meant to limit explicit search and image results. When Covenant Eyes blocking is being used, it will automatically enable and enforce SafeSearch for popular search engines.

In My Account, you can select either the Adult Blocking Level or the Family Blocking Level:

      • Adult Blocking Level: enables and enforces SafeSearch for Google and Bing
      • Family Blocking Level: enables and enforces SafeSearch for Google, Bing, and Yahoo

What about router-based filters?

In some cases, the simultaneous use of a router-based filter and the Covenant Eyes filter will lead to a conflict. Because the filters are trying to do the same thing, they can end up “fighting” each other instead of helping each other. The user sees this as trouble getting online or loading a page. If you experience this, then consider using one filter. It’s natural to think that “the more the better,” but that is simply not the case for content filters.

What happened to Blocked Times?

Covenant Eyes no longer offers that feature. It was a subset of our Filter service for Internet Accountability. In our new program, Screen Accountability™, the filter service is different. Basic/General blocking is powered by Clean Browsing. Customized blocking is available by using the Block/Allow lists. Additional feedback about any of these items is welcomed in our Community Forum.