Pinterest Tests School-Hour Alerts for Teens
As Instagram enhances its age verification tools, Pinterest is tackling teen app usage during school hours with new in-app prompts. These alerts, targeting users aged 13-17, will appear between 8 am and 3 pm on weekdays, urging teens to close the app until after school.
Pinterest explains:
This experiment will reach millions of users across the US and Canada, and learnings will help better inform our teams as they continue to build a positive and inspirational platform for young people.
While teens can easily dismiss the prompt, it reflects Pinterest's positive approach to influencing user behavior and reducing disruptive app usage during school.
Partnering for Digital Wellbeing
Pinterest is collaborating with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) on a program to establish "Digital Innovation Wellbeing Task Forces" in 12 school districts. This initiative addresses the critical need for digital citizenship education, moving beyond simply restricting student tech access.
The initiative responds to the urgent need to teach digital citizenship amidst predominantly ‘device management’ approaches that prioritize limiting student tech access over teaching healthy tech use. While 98% of educators say teaching digital citizenship should be a priority in their school, only 36% say it is actually being prioritized, according to data from ISTE+ASCD.
While Pinterest's in-app prompts fall under "device management," the partnership with ISTE aims to develop healthier online and device usage habits.
Supporting Texas Legislation
Furthermore, Pinterest has endorsed proposed legislation in Texas that aims to minimize classroom distractions caused by smartphones. The bill would prohibit student mobile device use during instructional time, requiring teachers to provide designated storage areas for devices.
These measures demonstrate Pinterest's commitment to promoting mindful app usage, educating users, and establishing healthy boundaries around screen time.
Impact on Pinterest
Supporting usage bans could negatively impact Pinterest's performance metrics. However, with Gen Z representing 40% of its audience, these in-app nudges and potential restrictions could significantly impact teen usage. Pinterest's prioritization of user wellbeing over business interests is a noteworthy and positive step.
