Mike Johnson’s Porn ‘Monitoring’ Remarks Spark National Security Concerns

Resurfaced comments in which new House Speaker Mike Johnson talked about how he and his son monitor each other’s online activity using “accountability software” have raised questions about national security.

Johnson, a Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2016, spoke in 2022 about how he installed software called Covenant Eyes on his devices during a panel called “War on Technology” at Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, Louisiana, Rolling Stone reported.

According to a clip first posted on X, formerly Twitter, by a user called Receipt Maven, Johnson spoke about how the subscription-based service helps people abstain from internet porn and “objectionable” websites.

“It scans all the activity on your phone, or your devices, your laptop, what have you,” Johnson said of the service, which currently costs $17 a month.

“We do all of it. And then it sends a report to your accountability partner. So my accountability partner right now is Jack, my son… He’s 17. So he and I get a report of all the things that are on our phones, all of our devices, once a week. If anything objectionable comes up, your accountability partner gets an immediate notice. I’m proud to tell ya, my son has got a clean slate.”

Social media users raised concerns about whether Covenant Eyes having access to Johnson’s data could “compromise” him.

“A US Congressman is allowing a 3rd Party tech company to scan ALL of his electronic devices daily and then uploading reports to his son about what he’s watching or not watching….,” Receipt Maven wrote on X. “I mean, who else is accessing that data?”

Marty Taylor, the executive director of progressive PAC New Blue USA, wrote that Johnson “allows an outside Christian based surveillance company ‘Covenant Eyes’ to access his electronic devises and prepare a weekly report to make sure he is not viewing any ‘objectionable’ material.

“This opens up the Speaker to a real security risk. To allow a non secure outside source full access to the Speaker of the House’s phones and computers is a security breach waiting to happen.”

Others echoed the sentiment, with one user writing that “with any public office holder, but particularly someone who’s second in line to the Presidency, this is a profound national security risk.”

Newsweek has contacted Johnson’s office for comment via email.

Johnson, an evangelical Christian, has come under scrutiny since being elected to the speakership in October following weeks of infighting among House Republicans. Critics have pointed to Johnson’s far-right conservative views, and called him an “extremist” on issues including LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights. He has also faced accusations of having strong ties to Christian nationalism.

In an interview with Fox News last week, Johnson said attacks linked to his faith do not bother him.

“Look, there are entire industries that are built to take down public leaders, effective political leaders like me. I’m not surprised by that,” he said. “I mean, it comes with the territory. It doesn’t bother me at all.

“I just wish they would get to know me. I’m not trying to establish Christianity as the national religion or something. That’s not what this is about at all.”