Churches reportedly use several apps to track their members’ internet activities, including watching pornographic material.
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Gracepoint, a Southern Baptist church, was recently exposed by one of its former members who said the congregation uses an app called Covenant Eyes. The app is marketed as “anti-porn” spyware, which is used to spy on church members’ web traffic and send the information to a designated user. The former member said they’ve received emails about their internet from Gracepoint, which sent detailed information about their internet traffic.
He said the report mentioned his browsing history to a flagged search of the hashtag #gay, as reported by The Byte. “It’s more like ‘shameware,’ and it’s just another way the church controls you,” another former member said.
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Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You are two other apps that track members’ internet activity. However, the apps were removed from Google’s Play Store after Wired’s report was forwarded to the company and deemed the applications violated its policies. The apps are still available on iOS.
Many former church members chimed in other their experience of congregations using spyware to shame their internet history.
After Wired’s article was published on Twitter, several users responded and said they’ve experienced similar situations where their churches would spy on their internet activities.
My student congregation at BYU (a Mormon university) used to require students/members to put spyware programs on their computers to rat them out to the clergy. It was ridiculous. “Cult” is a great word for such churches. (I am an atheist now).
— Ryan Esquire (@RandomTwitAlias) September 22, 2022
I went to a private Christian college. There were definitely lots of guys using "accountability" software that sent automatic emails to friends whenever they went to even slightly risque sites. Ulgh. Christian totalitarianism.
— Anxious Herzog
(@anxious_herzog) September 23, 2022
This an invasion of privacy and a form of shaming someone for having very natural human urges. It also shows one main goals of churches now is control and judge it’s members, rather than provide guidance and understanding.
— Andrew Bejarano (@abejarano12) September 23, 2022
Isn’t the entire concept of “God” that there is a being who sees everything you do and holds you accountable for your actions?
If you actually believe that, this seems redundant…Churches Using "Shameware" Apps to Make Sure Members Don't Watch Porn https://t.co/bZ8hkEA8AE
— Dark el Mark
(@elMarkThatGuy) September 25, 2022
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