Pinterest Has Banned Weight Loss Ads On Its Platform
The world has been going through some stuff of late, but this is a victory we can certainly get behind! Our relationships with social media platforms have looked different for everyone since the start of the pandemic, and whether you became more active online or took a break from it all, we can all agree that there’s no place for diet culture on social media.
So, when we heard that Pinterest had made the decision to ban weight loss ads, we were delighted!
Pinterest is the ultimate app when it comes to gathering inspiration and planning everything from your business to your dream home. We’ve all spent an hour or four scrolling through and saving dozens of beautiful centrepieces for a wedding that you’ve imagined out of thin air, and the platform’s board features are favourites for the organisers amongst us. But, its infinite timeline of ideas is also known for being plagued with ads offering everything from intermittent fasting support and detox solutions, paid for by diet companies and targeting users of all ages.
There’s no mistaking that these kinds of adverts across social media have a detrimental impact on users, whether they engage with them directly, or just absorb their messaging subconsciously.
In their announcement on Instagram, Pinterest wrote: “We want to be a platform that inspires all users regardless of body type, because inspiration should be for every body.”
In the caption they added: “Pinterest is committed to building a safe and inspiring space for all our users. That means looking at ways we can evolve our policies for the better. We want to champion content that celebrates body neutrality and acceptance, so you can focus on finding inspiration to create a life you love. #NoSizeFitsAll”
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) helped Pinterest to update its policy to put a stop to the ads, following a surge in searches for healthy lifestyle, fitness tips and healthy eating in the past year in the midst of lockdown.
The company’s head of policy, Sarah Bromma, said: “A lot of people are facing challenges related to body image and mental health, particularly as we’re emerging from COVID restrictions. People are now feeling added pressure to rejoin their social circles in person for the first time in a year.”
Social media platforms have a responsibility to protect their users from harmful content, and weight loss ads are a great starting point. Whilst Pinterest isn’t the first social media platform for tackle weight loss ads – Instagram and Facebook clamped down on ads that promoted ‘miracle’ weight loss products and diets back in 2019 – they are the first to introduce an official ban into their policy. With popular platforms like leading the charge in making social media a safer, less triggering place will help transform the user experience into an environment that celebrates diversity, nurtures creativity and safeguards future generations.
Good job, Pinterest!
Image credit: Szabo Viktor
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