Pinterest Urges Teens to Remain Logged Out During Class Time


Pinterest is implementing measures to assist students in maintaining their focus during academic hours.

The social media platform is experimenting with a new feature aimed at encouraging adolescents in the U.S. and Canada — particularly those aged 13 to 17 — to log off and silence notifications from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Pinterest verified to Mashable that this notification will reach millions of users in that demographic as part of a widespread experiment focused on enhancing student well-being.

This effort comes after Pinterest CEO Bill Ready publicly supported the Kids Online Safety Act and endorsed phone-free school policies, as highlighted in a recent article by the Washington Post.

The in-app notification, according to The Verge, states: “Focus is a beautiful thing. Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifs [sic] until the school bell rings.”

Besides the new notification, Pinterest revealed a collaboration with the International Society for Technology in Education. Together, they will establish Digital Innovation Wellbeing Task Forces to develop action plans that foster digital citizenship and promote student well-being.

“At Pinterest, we believe that educational institutions can leverage all the benefits that technology offers to students, while reducing potential harms and distractions,” stated Wanji Walcott, Pinterest’s Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer, in a statement to The Verge. “Tech companies must collaborate with educators, parents, and policymakers to create solutions that ensure smartphones serve as tools, not distractions, in the hands of our students.”