Relay Health, a BYU Sandbox startup, is aiming to help one million people overcome pornography addiction this month through an initiative called The November Project.
The company created an app back in 2021 that connects people struggling with pornography to peer groups for support and resources. Combating recent growth in porn usage, Relay Health is joining Fight the New Drug, Covenant Eyes, Utah Coalition Against Pornography and other initiatives to spread awareness during the month of November.
Co-founder Chandler Rogers said the project was inspired by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ annual Light the World initiative. TheNovemberProject.org's 30-day challenge includes a goal to have one million people pledge to quit porn in November, and more than 16,000 people have already agreed to the challenge. Pledgers receive daily text reminders with an actionable challenge to help them stay motivated each day of the month.
According to Fight the New Drug, porn is a $97 billion industry, and The November Project said that porn site visits have received 33x growth between 2012 and 2025.
Acknowledging OpenAI and Grok AI’s recent allowance of erotic content, Rogers said, “This is us rallying a bunch of people to fight back … provide a counterforce.”
This counterforce focuses on helping individuals to not just quit porn, but get to the root of the issue. Rogers explained that many use pornography as an escape from deeper problems such as loneliness, boredom, stress, rejection and pain. He said that while there are a lot of trending anti-porn initiatives on social media, many of them are shallow in providing enduring change.
“We really focus on trying to take a holistic approach to help people learn how to, you know, get more in touch with their emotions and be able to heal underlying wounds,” Rogers said.
Reinforcing this sentiment, the November Project created a manifesto that states, “We’re here to rediscover what it means to be human again — to face pain without numbing it, to crave meaning instead of novelty, to replace quick highs with real connection.”
The manifesto also said that the challenge is not about shame and restriction, but rather, it is an opportunity to become whole and take personal freedom back.
Rogers explained that many porn users feel isolation and shame. The November Project is designed to mitigate the barriers that prevent such people from reaching out for help. It is free and anonymous, making it easy for anyone to join the movement.
The November Project has partnered with influencers like Mark Gagnon and Isaac David to promote the cause, along with a dozen universities who have committed to distributing flyers promoting the initiative.
On The November Project’s website, individuals who pledge are able to share their successes publicly on the “Wall of Hope.”
One user named Manny commented, “I am grateful for this family and all here. It’s helping me on my journey of freedom. Praise God!!”
Rogers shared a post on LinkedIn where he stated, “It’s about the 252 million people around the world who feel trapped in a cycle they don’t know how to break, who’ve lost confidence, purpose or peace. The problem isn’t just screens; it’s the deeper ache underneath them … Help us spread light and hope and create a better future for the next generation.”