Is Pinterest safe for my child?

Pinterest is generally lower-risk than platforms like TikTok or Instagram for direct contact from strangers, as it is primarily a content discovery tool rather than a social platform. However, the main risks for children are content-related: body image content (thin-inspiration, extreme diet content), harmful trend content, and scam pins that link to fraudulent external sites. For most children under 13, we would not recommend it. For teenagers, it is worth a conversation about the gap between aspirational content and real life, particularly around body image.

Can strangers contact my child on Pinterest?

Pinterest does have a messaging feature, but it is not prominently used and strangers can only message people they follow or who follow them. The bigger risk on Pinterest is the content itself rather than direct contact. Setting boards to private and keeping the account non-public significantly reduces any contact risk.

Pinterest Safety Guide for Parents

What parents need to know about Pinterest — image sharing, mood boards, and the risks of body image content, harmful trends, and scams.

Official age

13+

We recommend

13+

Developer

Pinterest Inc.

Risks

Direct messaging

Overview

Pinterest is a visual discovery and image-sharing platform where users collect and organise images, videos, and links onto themed 'boards'. It is widely used for fashion, home décor, recipes, DIY projects, and creative inspiration. Unlike most social platforms, Pinterest is largely interest-driven rather than socially driven — the focus is on content rather than followers — but that does not mean it is without risk for younger users.

How children use it

Teenagers and older children use Pinterest primarily for inspiration — creating mood boards for aesthetics, fashion, bedroom décor, and creative projects. Many use it alongside social media as a planning or vision tool. Some teenagers use shared boards collaboratively with friends. The platform is also used for recipe and fitness content.

Main risks

harmful content privacy oversharing scams targeting children

Recommended privacy settings

Profile Visibility

Location: Settings → Privacy and Data → Profile Visibility

Set to: Keep profile hidden from search engines

A public Pinterest profile can be indexed by Google. Encouraging your child to keep their profile hidden reduces the chance of their content being discoverable by strangers.

Secret Boards

Location: When creating a board → Secret

Set to: On for personal content

Secret boards are only visible to the creator (and invited collaborators). Encouraging use of secret boards for personal content reduces public exposure.

Personalised Ads

Location: Settings → Privacy and Data → Personalised Ads

Set to: Off

Pinterest collects browsing data to serve targeted ads. Limiting personalised ads reduces data collection, though it does not affect content recommendations.

Parent actions

recommended

Search Pinterest for the type of content your child is likely to view — particularly around body image, diet, and fitness — so you understand what the algorithm surfaces

Time: 20 minutes

essential

Talk to your child about the difference between aspirational content and reality, particularly around body image and lifestyle aesthetics

Time: 15 minutes

essential

Check that your child's account and boards are set to secret or private rather than public

Time: 10 minutes