Pinterest Joins New Program That Aims to Improve Safety Elements for Young Users – ENGRMKS & CO

Pinterest has announced that it’s collaborating with the Boston Children’s Hospital to join a new ‘Inspired Internet Pledge’, which will see Pinterest, and other tech companies, commit to various measures designed to better protect young people that use their apps.

The pledge is designed to address negative mental health impacts stemming from social media use.

As explained by Pinterest:

“Around the world teens are experiencing a mental health crisis and the role social media platforms play is being closely examined. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), youth mental health has continued to worsen, with large increases in widespread reports of harmful experiences among teen girls. Nearly 3 in 5 US teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, representing a ~60% increase and the highest level reported over the past decade.”

And while there are counter studies that also highlight the positives of social media connection, the prevailing weight of evidence suggests that social media usage can lead to negative behaviors, such as harmful comparison, bullying, exposure to disturbing content, and more.