In August, an adult stepson of Covenant Eyes cofounder Ron DeHaas was arrested in Michigan during a child sex abuse materials (CSAM) sting operation. Thomas Wideman, 38, had communicated online—and then agreed to meet—with an officer who posed as a 14-year-old female.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
At the meeting spot, authorities arrested Wideman without incident. They later found child sexual abuse material on his phone. Court records show that DeHaas covered some of his stepson’s $300,000 bond and facilitated Wideman’s release from the Kent County Correctional Facility.
Wideman, whose next court date is Oct. 14, has been charged with four counts of using computers to commit a crime, three counts of child sexually abusive activity, and one count of accosting children for immoral purposes. For some of the charges, the maximum penalty is life in prison.
Covenant Eyes Founder Wanted to Protect Teens from Porn
When Ron DeHaas cofounded Covenant Eyes software 25 years ago, one goal was to safeguard his teenage stepsons from adult content online. According to a bio on the Covenant Eyes website, DeHaas became a stepfather of three when he remarried. (The entrepreneur’s first wife and their two children died in a motor vehicle accident in 1992.)
“When the DeHaas family got the internet at their home, Ron quickly realized the dangers this presented to his new family,” the site notes. Covenant Eyes anti-porn accountability software, which has more than 2 million users, tracks internet activity, flags potential adult content, and alerts an accountability partner, called an “ally.”
The software has faced criticism for violating privacy and for being used to shame people. In response, Covenant Eyes emphasized that users must consent to have their internet activity monitored.
After Mike Johnson (R-LA) became Speaker of the House in October 2023, some people mocked him for admitting that he and his son use the Covenant Eyes app to keep each other accountable.
RELATED: House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Use of Anti-Porn Accountability App Riles Media
In August, an adult stepson of Covenant Eyes cofounder Ron DeHaas was arrested in Michigan during a child sex abuse materials (CSAM) sting operation.Click to Post
