Pinterest Introduces New Safety Features to Protect Teens
Pinterest today announced a series of new safety features aimed at better protecting teenage users. These features, similar to those implemented on popular social media platforms like Instagram, include private profiles, enhanced control over followers, and message safety controls.
Private Profiles for Users Ages 16 and Older
Users aged 16 and above can now choose between private or public profiles. By opting for privacy, they can still connect with friends by sending them a unique link. For users under the age of 16, their profiles remain automatically private and are not discoverable by others on the platform. This mirrors the decision made by Instagram to default younger users to private profiles but allow them to switch to public if desired.
More Control Over Followers
All Pinterest users, including teens under 16, will have greater control over their followers. They will be able to review and remove followers they do not want tracking their posts. For teens under 16, followers will be removed entirely, giving them a fresh start where they can specifically choose who they collaborate with and trust. While this may frustrate some teens who have worked hard to build up their following, it is necessary to ensure their safety.
Messaging and Group Boards
Pinterest is making messaging and group boards available to all users, but only if permission is granted to contact or collaborate. Teens under 16 will only be able to receive messages from mutual followers accepted through a shared profile link. This link expires after three days or after the sender receives their first five followers via the shareable link, whichever comes first.
Added Parental Controls
In addition to these user-facing features, Pinterest offers a passcode feature for parents and guardians. This passcode must be set before a teen can change their account settings. Now caregivers have the power to opt in and out of this passcode feature and update protected settings on their teen’s account.
Pinterest will begin rolling out these new features and changes throughout the week. It may take some time before all users can see them.
Addressing teen safety has been a priority for Pinterest due to its popularity among younger users. During its recent earnings call, CEO Bill Ready highlighted that Gen Z is the company’s fastest-growing demographic and largest contributor to overall engagement. Their use of the platform aligns with Pinterest’s goals of becoming the go-to destination for planning travel and shopping. Last year, they also launched Shuffles, a shoppable scrapbooking app targeting Gen Z that quickly gained traction.
