Is Pinterest Safe? A Pinterest App Review for Parents

Harmful Content 😲

Pinterest’s community guidelines strive for a positive environment, and the app is active in blocking and removing content that’s against the rules. That being said, Pinterest has nearly 500 million users, so things definitely fall through the cracks due to the sheer volume of activity. 

Porn

All of the rules in place don’t stop porn and inappropriate sexual imagery from making their way onto Pinterest. There are also tamer PG-13 pins that link out to explicit content on external websites, which could in turn lead your child down a dangerous rabbit hole.

Disordered eating content

So-called “thinspo” (thin inspiration) posts are banned by Pinterest’s terms of service because they’re often actually accounts promoting disordered eating, but some content may toe the line and end up on the app. These posts present an unrealistic view of the human body and can be triggering to users who struggle with self-esteem and/or body image issues.

Self-harm

Pinterest now deploys a strong algorithm to help limit exposure to content that glorifies or promotes self-harm or suicidal information. For example, searching for phrases like “cutting” results in a screen that directs users to the National Suicide Hotline. There may be ways around this block, though, as slang words for various activities are constantly changing.

Predation 🚨

Pinterest’s direct message (DM) feature is the primary reason that predation is a big threat. If a stranger finds your kid’s board, all they have to do is send a message to strike up a conversation. Be sure to remind your kid not to give out any personal information on the platform, and to let you know if anyone is making them uncomfortable.

Privacy 🔒

Pinterest provides next to no privacy controls unless you choose to change your publicly displayed personal information. For kids who have Pinterest accounts linked to their Facebook or Google accounts, this can be complicated. The one thing you can do, fortunately, is hide your child’s profile from search engines. This way, if someone googles your kid’s name, all of the different boards they’ve created over the years won’t show up.

Parental Controls ✅

Pinterest essentially does not have any parental control features, unfortunately. It’s possible to mute mentions and to block users that may be harassing your kid, but that’s about the extent of proactive measures you can take to help protect them.

Bark provides support for families who use Pinterest. We’re here to help you keep your kid safe by allowing you to:

• Block Pinterest entirely, if needed.
• Manage when your child can use Pinterest throughout the day.
• Monitor your child’s profile as well as images and descriptions they pin (Android and iOS).

So, should my kid download it?

Perhaps, if they’re at least 13. Is Pinterest safe? Not entirely. It can be a great outlet for creativity, but kids can stumble across inappropriate content while browsing for recipes or clothes inspiration. And unfortunately, there are no parental controls.