We help families, schools, and churches create safer digital spaces. Live talks: kids K-12, staff, and parents. Curriculum, app & device guides. Become a PYE member! #delayistheway
I thought I’d be a CFO someday. But life sometimes turns on individual moments! Like the 2014 moment, when I volunteered to teach parents about online porn at our church.
See, I had battled porn for years on my own. A childhood curiosity sparked by a stack of magazines was ignited by the “always accessible” internet of the 1990’s, and fanned by more portable tech in the early 2000’s.
I finally found freedom after an overpowering experience with the Holy Spirit during an evening run, which led to complete confession and brutal transparency (thank you, Covenant Eyes).
Fast forward to 2014.
I watched us put that same beast—the internet—in our children’s pockets. I watched kids start to carry the same snake that bit me, and not enough parents seemed nervous about this. I wasn’t just concerned about kids having access to porn. We were giving them access to the world. And there was just no freaking way the thirteen-year-old version of me could have handled 100 million choices to anything in my pocket. Could you?
I started saying crazy things to parents at my church, like “Don’t give kids smartphones or social media until at least age fifteen.” Some parents didn’t understand what the fuss was about. Snapchat and Instagram were just pictures, right? Musical.ly (TikTok’s predecessor) was just fun videos, right?
But others flooded me with their stories about social media, gaming, and more.
During one talk at a medium-sized church, I shared very openly about my personal struggles with a room of parents. When I finished, they rushed to the stage to share their own anecdotes and expressed a liberating feeling that someone was finally talking about these new digital issues, something they hadn’t experienced before.
I knew we were onto something. Protect Young Eyes was born!
My early career in risk consulting taught me to see problems, find solutions, and chart a path forward. It was time to apply these skills to a new set of problems. Time to turn my misery into a mission.
Build a five-habit framework that will move you from scared and overwhelmed to prepared and confident.
Understand the key developmental stages of your child’s brain and how addictive technologies are designed to exploit them.
Talk to your kids about difficult topics like pornography, sextortion, and AI companions in an age-appropriate way with practical, step-by-step guidance.
Implement a layered approach to harm prevention, and create a safer digital environment in your home.
Let’s raise wise kids in a wild digital world. Together!
I’m indebted to the countless families who have shared their digital joys and pains with me. It was often in the aftermath of your tragedy that I received a desperate email or direct message. Many didn’t know you were the subjects of an exploitative experiment. Now we know. And I pray that your difficult experiences are transformed into strength for those who read these chapters.
We help families, schools, and churches create safer digital spaces. Live talks: kids K-12, staff, and parents. Curriculum, app & device guides. Become a PYE member! #delayistheway
The PYE Download: Resource Edition! Beach time! Two items to share as we hit the summer halfway point: Show your kids the sextortion video. Consider a hidden iPhone/iPad feature. A Shocking Sextortion Video The video that astonished so many PYE followers this weekend only lasts 14 seconds. But that's all it needs to make a shocking point. It's getting almost impossible to identify AI content. Video source: Reddit ⭐️ (Watch options: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) ⭐️ Every parent and child needs...
The PYE Download: July 1, 2026 Hello! Once a month, we download the digital news that impacts your family, update you on what the Protect Young Eyes team is up to, and end with a note from Chris. We hope our research helps you feel informed and confident, and that our work with schools, churches, and non-profits is motivating. Thank you for reading this! The latest news: 🤯 The US House passed the KIDS Act (NCOSE). The KIDS Act was pushed through the House, despite opposition from child safety...
The PYE Download: Resource Edition! Two items to share as we continue enjoying the sunshine: Go into the Bank (Model digital health) Today is Social Media Victims Awareness Day (June 23) Go into the Bank! I recently had a deposit to make. Nothing complicated. A check. The kind of transaction that takes 47 seconds at an ATM. Electronic submission would have made it even faster — photograph both sides, tap submit, done. I went inside instead. This is where I want to speak directly to parents....