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FAQs: iPhone Accountability and Filtering with Covenant Eyes

Last Updated: August 14, 2023

Our ability to connect our accountability and filtering services into deeper parts of the iPhone, including apps, and force Google safe searches no matter where Google is accessed has been very helpful to our members. Now, with our latest update for iOS 15.1 and higher, Covenant Eyes has brought Screen Accountability to the Safari browser!  

Our members have asked a lot of great questions about the updated Covenant Eyes sensor app. I thought that I’d address a few of the more common questions that have come through both our blog and our world-class Member Care team.

Question: Am I required to use the built-in Covenant Eyes browser instead of Safari®? 

Answer: No! If you are using iOS 15.1 or higher, then Covenant Eyes provides all the features of Screen Accountability in the Safari browser. It’s important to make sure the Safari extension is installed and locked, though.  

Question: Can you see my texts? 

Answer: No, we cannot see your texts. iMessage activity is not available to us. 

Question: Is every app monitored? 

Answer: Covenant Eyes takes screenshots within the Safari browser (only on iOS 15.1 and higher—screenshots are not taken in Safari with older versions of iOS) and the Covenant Eyes browser app. 

Covenant Eyes cannot take screenshots in other apps, but it does report explicit web domains. A domain name means things like “Instagram.com” or “Facebook.com,” but not the specific addresses (instagram.com/user-profile-john-doe or facebook.com/my-group-name/). Covenant Eyes reports these domains but cannot distinguish between actual websites that are clicked on and background data that is accessed by an app.

Question: Does Covenant Eyes block porn in every app? 

Answer: Covenant Eyes cannot filter the content that might be shared within an app. We can’t block nasty language on Snapchat or stop inappropriate direct messaging and pictures on Instagram. And we can’t monitor content in apps that isn’t domain based.  
 
The best way to prevent access to inappropriate content in apps is to remove them from the device and then use Screen Time to prevent apps from being installed. Using the website version instead (e.g. facebook.com, instagram.com, youtube.com) in Safari or the Covenant Eyes browser helps to ensure that explicit websites are blocked and explicit content is reported. 

However, Covenant Eyes does block and report explicit web domains. We also have a wonderful handle on Google, no matter where Google is accessed on the device. If a person finds a hidden Google search in an app (and they’re everywhere) and thinks they can get away with an unfiltered search, Covenant Eyes forces a Google safe search every single time. 

For more details on Covenant Eyes filtering, see here

Question: What is a VPN? Did Covenant Eyes invent this? 

Answer: A traditional virtual private network (VPN) is typically used by employees to securely access corporate files from remote locations (i.e., home or hotel). Now, the term VPN is more often used to describe commercial VPNs that are used by everyday people to connect to the internet more securely, thereby hiding their internet activity from their internet service provider or protecting their activity when connected to public hotspots. 

Covenant Eyes utilizes the VPN feature on the iPhone to dig deeper into activity on the device. We didn’t invent it. We just found a neat way to use it. 

Question: Can I turn off the “forced” YouTube restricted mode? It’s too restrictive. 

Answer: Yes, if you use our “Standard Blocking” then YouTube restricted mode is not enforced. If you use “Strong Blocking” then it is enforced.   

For help changing the filter settings for Covenant Eyes, check out this support article.  

We’re pleased with our new iPhone coverage and constantly working on ways to make it even better.  

We value your feedback and will continue to listen to our valuable members as we work together to create solutions that enable all of us to live porn-free. For more information about how Covenant Eyes works on the iPhone, check out this support article. 

  1. Does this monitor netflix

    • Dan Armstrong

      Thanks for the question. Right now, we can’t see anything in Netflix on mobile, but Screen Accountability works just fine with Netflix on Windows and Mac.

  2. Anna

    Does covenant eyes monitor or seven shot if Wi-Fi is disconnected and no internet

  3. Mark

    As of today (3/1/19), can Instagram app activity now be monitored? This article is now a year old, and it mentioned that capability was coming eventually.

  4. Chris Townsend

    Thanks for the great app. I’m grateful for this accountability software. However, with the VPN usage, my battery levels are draining drastically faster – even on standby. Is there a way of deactivating the VPN feature, particularly when my apps are seriously restricted via the Apple Restriction code? If not, it seems I may reluctantly have to stop using Covenant Eyes on my iPhone. I’d appreciate any input.
    Blessings,
    Chris
    PS: I’m using an Apple iPhone 5S

  5. Kenny

    If you turn on the cell phone’s hotspot feature, and connect a laptop or any device using the cellular hotspot, with that traffic be monitored as well?

  6. John

    Can you share how/if the new update monitors Twitter? Will it recognize anything inappropriate/mature in the newsfeed and flag it? Basically, is there a way I can have access to Twitter but my accountability partners see if I viewed anything inappropriate/mature?

  7. Jen

    YouTube used through covenant eyes app was not set to restricted is that normal I thought it was always forced to restricted? Thanks

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, Jen – if you are a filter user, then YouTube Restricted Mode can be toggled on or off by the Filter Guardian in My Account.
      Chris

  8. E weiss

    The YouTube restrictivity is unbearable. Please please figure out a way to disable this!

    I use covenant eyes to help me with my own self control issues and I find it incredibly helpful, YouTube because of the Restriction with the new app on my Android device that I cannot turn off, is not letting me watch news programs that I follow daily, it’s not letting me watch gamer live streams that I watch Daily it’s not letting me watch other commentators that I watch Daily it restricts access to comments on almost every video! This is not what I signed up for it’s super frustrating and I am finding myself unable to deal with it to the point of fighting with myself to turn off the app and unsubscribe all together even though I know how bad that would be for me. Please please please find a way to get rid of this

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, yes, we are definitely working on a fix to the YouTube restricted mode issue.
      Chris

  9. Lisa S

    Hello, we’ve been using Covenant eyes software for a few years now and up until now, like MANY other user’s been happy with the “piece of mind” it provides. Recently, just like a previous user stated, my husbands alarm went off at 5am, and there was literally no way to turn it off!!! Activate VPN showed on the screen, but even trying to activate or disable did nothing to stop the alarm from going off! It woke up our entire family! At 5am! I had to restart the phone in order to turn the alarm off! Not impressed at all. Since that update, my husbands phone is nothing short of frustrating! Everything from webpages not loading to now losing the ability to even watch harmless YouTube videos!!! I feel Covenant eyes has over-stepped their boundaries by literally micromanaging thru this VPN infrastructure. This has been going on for far too long as these complaints go as far back as May 2018!! That’s almost 3 months ongoing Covenant eyes!!! If a fix isn’t provided in the VERY near future we will have no other choice but to find another provider. Please don’t get me wrong, Covenant eyes was a huge part of my husband’s healing journey over 3 yrs ago but, with that said, I do not want to ‘punish’ my husband or limit all his hard work by micromanaging his every little step which this new update is exactly doing! That’s not fair and I feel you as a company have far overstepped your boundaries by way of the aforementioned. PLEASE FIX NOW!!!

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, Lisa – I’m sorry that you’ve had trouble. For an iPhone, I’ve not heard of anything like this on that platform. If I can encourage you to stick with us at least through talking to Customer Service, I would appreciate it. 877-479-1119.

      Chris

  10. Tim

    Hi Chris, I have an iPhone 6s Plus with CE installed. Whenever I toggle off the “Connect on Demand” option in the VPN settings, it doesn’t turn itself back on. Is there a way to correct this?

    Also, it doesn’t send notifications to the accountability report when the VPN is turned off.

    Thanks

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, Tim – there should be a notification sent to the Accountability Report when the VPN is turned off. I believe you’re right about the “Connect on Demand,” but if a notification is sent to the report, then the Partner is notified, which (albeit) somewhat mitigates the need to force the connect on demand.

      Chris

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