Is Pinterest safe for kids? An app safety guide for parents

Our 2024 data report on global app usage revealed that Pinterest was the third most-used social media app by kids (based on time spent), behind TikTok and Instagram. It might be classified as a social media platform, but by focusing on idea discovery and creative expression, Pinterest offers kids a different kind of experience compared to TikTok, Instagram, and similar apps.

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a visual discovery and bookmarking platform where users can find and save ideas and inspiration for a wide range of interests, from recipes and home decor to fashion and travel. It’s effectively a digital pinup board or scrapbook, allowing users to search for and add images and videos, or “Pins”, to themed “Boards”. Users can search for ideas using keywords or browse through Pinterest’s algorithm-recommended Pins based on their interests and activity. The visual search tools allow them to take a photo of an item and find similar products or ideas.

Why do teens like Pinterest?

Pinterest’s visual nature appeals to teens, offering them a creative way to explore and share their passions. For example, a teen might use Pinterest to:

Collect fashion ideas, hairstyles, or makeup looks
Find and save ideas to decorate their bedroom
Gather study tips and productivity hacks
Explore their artistic side with drawing prompts and photography ideas
Find and collate recipes and baking tips
Create a travel Board with images of places they’d like to go

Teens also enjoy the community aspect of Pinterest, as Boards can be made collaborative, allowing users to come together and share ideas. Although Pinterest is technically a social media platform, it feels more private than Instagram or TikTok. Users can follow accounts, save and comment on Pins, and follow Boards, but unlike most social media platforms, Pinterest users rarely post personal photos or share details about themselves.

What is the age requirement for using Pinterest?

Pinterest’s Help center states that users must be at least 13 years old to use the platform. For some countries in the EU, this age may be higher in accordance with the nation’s digital age of consent under GDPR.

Pinterest asks you to enter a birthdate at signup and doesn’t typically require ID verification.

Pinterest: the risks parents need to know

Contact from strangers

Like other social media platforms, Pinterest features DMs (direct messaging). Although messaging features are restricted for Pinterest users under 16, there’s still a risk that predators, or others with bad intentions, can initiate contact with a minor.

Cyberbullying and doxxing

Pinterest’s DMs and comment sections may attract cyberbullies and others who want to dish out harassment, offensive language, and personal attacks. A young user may also inadvertently share private details in their Pins or Boards that might lead to them being doxxed – for example, by uploading a photo with background details such as a school logo, or creating a Board about a specific local event, such as a neighborhood yard sale.

Uncontrolled spending

Pinterest is free to use; however, the platform’s shopping experience is designed to be seamless, blurring the line between inspiration and transaction, and encouraging impulsive purchases. For example, many Pins feature ‘Shop the Look’ tags, which directly link to products within the image, allowing users to purchase items they see and like, often without leaving the Pinterest platform. Shop the Look, combined with algorithm-led recommendations and targeted ads, can lead younger users to mindlessly spend on the platform.

Scams

Like on many online platforms, scams are prevalent on Pinterest – though they often look different from the type of scams you might find on TikTok or Instagram. Because Pinterest focuses on visual discovery, rather than communication, scams are more likely to hide within misleading links and fake content, rather than direct messaging. A common scam found on Pinterest involves fake shopping Pins. These Pins typically show products at unrealistically low prices, but link to fraudulent stores. The victim then pays for something they never receive or gets a poor-quality knock-off instead.

Inappropriate content

Although Pinterest’s Community guidelines prohibit explicit content, young users may still encounter adult concepts through images, videos, or discussions, especially if they explore certain topics or follow unmoderated Boards. This can include sexually suggestive content, mature themes, or discussions of sensitive topics.

Body image triggers

Unlike other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Pinterest embraces body positivity and has policies in place to fight body shaming. But being a highly visual platform, it’s not difficult to find fashion and lifestyle images that may trigger a teenager struggling with body issues.

Excessive screen time

The visually engaging nature of Pinterest can lead to kids spending more time on the platform than a parent would like. If left unchecked, too much screen time can impact sleep, mental health, and overall wellbeing.

How to make Pinterest safer for young users

As far as social media platforms go, Pinterest is far from the most concerning for parents. If you’re okay with your teenager using Pinterest, here are 5 ways you can reduce the risks and help them enjoy a safe experience on the platform.

1. Talk about boundaries and expectations

Discuss appropriate online behaviour, what they can do if they encounter inappropriate content or get contacted by a stranger, and the importance of critical thinking when viewing and sharing Pins. Creating a family tech agreement can be a great way to start the conversation and outline clear rules for screen time, online interactions, and sharing personal information on Pinterest.

2. Explore Pinterest’s safety settings

We recommend reviewing the teen safety settings Pinterest has in place by default – for example, accounts of under-18s are automatically private, meaning their profiles aren’t discoverable and only their followers can contact them. Also, comments on Pins created by under-18s are automatically turned off.

Note that these settings can be changed at any time by the teen – unless a passcode has been set by the parent. For additional online safety and digital wellbeing support, parents should consider using a comprehensive parental control tool like Qustodio. With Qustodio, you can monitor the time your teen spends on Pinterest and set daily limits, as well as block the app completely if you choose.

3. Set a parental passcode

As a parent or caregiver of a child under 18, you can oversee their Pinterest account by setting up a 4-digit passcode. With this passcode, you can manage and lock safety options on your teen’s account, including settings for messaging, commenting, profile visibility, and shopping recommendations. The passcode will expire when your teen turns 18, based on the date of birth in their account. See these instructions for how to set your passcode.

4. Ensure they know how to block/report users

Wherever there are online interactions, there’s the risk of being contacted by problematic people. Aside from setting their account to ‘private’, you can help protect your teen from dangerous users by showing them how to block unwanted contacts and report inappropriate messages.

5. Teach them how to spot and avoid a scam

With shopping so ingrained in the Pinterest platform, it’s not surprising that scammers might target its young users. But you can minimize the chance they’ll get ripped off on the platform by helping them spot and avoid scams. This might entail talking about the typical signs of a shopping scam, such as “too-good-to-be-true” deals, and suspicious accounts with strange names that have very few followers.

Pinterest is unlikely to be top of anyone’s “most dangerous social media apps” list. Still, the visual discovery app can pose risks to young users if appropriate safety measures aren’t in place – risks could potentially include being contacted by strangers and cyberbullies, and seeing inappropriate content.

We encourage parents to set a parental passcode on their teen’s Pinterest account so they can lock in safety settings, such as making the account private and disabling comments. Pinterest’s safety settings, combined with conversations about screen time and spotting scams, will help your teen enjoy everything the platform has to offer while staying safe.