The no. 1 search term used at search engine sites is “sex.” Users searched for “sex” more than other terms such as “games,” “travel,” “music,” “jokes,” “cars,” “weather,” “health” and “jobs” combined. “Pornography/porno/porn” was the fourth-most searched for subject. Also falling within the top 20 search terms were “nude” (including “nudes”), “xxx,” “playboy,” and “erotic stories” (including “erotica”).

Excerpted from “Alexa Research finds ’sex’ popular on the web” – Business Wire, February 14, 2001 (Sourced from the Covenant Eyes website)

There’s no doubt about it, the internet is a virtual minefield. However hard one tries, one cannot avoid stumbling across iPorn (Internet pornography) once in while, in one form or another.

iPorn is big business generating “$12 billion dollars in annual revenue-more than the combined annual revenues of ABC, NBC, and CBS” (Family Safe Media, January 10, 2006). And while many Christians would like to think of this as a problem “out there” in the world, the truth is many professing believers are affected by, and addicted to, iPorn. (For more read our Dirty Little Secret Faithblog.)

Thankfully there are software programs that exist for the sole purpose of helping people stay accountable whilst using their computers and surfing the Net. One such program, and one I have personally used as an accountability partner, is the X3Watch software from XXXChurch.com. X3Watch is an excellent piece of software and has played a part in helping several of my friends and colleagues overcome their addictions to iPorn. There’s a free trial of the basics, which i like, as i can tell people to try before they buy.

Another good piece of accountability software is Covenant Eyes. A few weeks ago I was forwarded the web address to the Covenant Eyes website by a friend who thought I should give it the once over. He was wanting to help a member of his congregation and wasn’t a fan of the X3Watch software. And so I checked it out. After playing around with the software for only a short time I had set up the accountability settings, set the internet filters for family use, set up the time control, and had started a website safe list. I like this software as it does what it says. A major negative for me is that I couldn’t find a trial version of the software; I used a friends account to check it out (see added note below). And unlike X3Watch there is no free basic version either.

If you find you’re spending time viewing iPorn I wholeheartedly suggest both of these pieces of software for personal accountability, although I personally prefer X3Watch.

However, if you simply want to make the Internet a safer place for your family then I would suggest the excellent award winning Safe Eyes software. This is an extremely simple, yet very effective program that helps to keep the internet safe for the whole family. Best of all there is a free trial of the full program so you can try before you buy, always a bonus in my books.

There is a cost to maintain full functionality of all the above programs, but if you consider the alternatives they are a small price to pay to be free from iPorn and keeping the family safe.

Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
November, 2008

Note from Luke at Covenant Eyes – “Covenant Eyes does offer the first 30 days free for those who want to try it out. When they sign up they can simply enter the promotion code ‘onefree’ to get that first free month. No matter which one you use, we think its great the people are finding accountability on the Internet!” Thanks Luke!

Excellent DVD Resource:

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