Social MediaCaution
Pinterest Safety Guide for Parents
Configure Pinterest privacy and safety settings for teens, manage who can message, control board privacy, and understand the platform's unique risks.
Ages 13-17
7 min read
Updated Jul 20, 2026
Configure Pinterest privacy and safety settings for teens, manage who can message, control board privacy, and understand the platform's unique risks.
Pinterest is an image-based discovery platform where users collect and share visual ideas on digital "boards." It's popular among teens for fashion, DIY projects, recipes, and creative inspiration. While generally lower-risk than other social platforms, Pinterest has specific safety settings worth configuring.
Pinterest requires users to be 13+ and is among the calmer social platforms for teens. However, certain content — including unrealistic body images, dangerous DIY projects, and messaging features — warrant thoughtful settings.
Pinterest is organized around "Pins" (images or videos) saved to "Boards" (collections). Users:
New boards default to public. For personal collections:
Toggle "Secret" ON for any board your teen wants to keep private. Secret boards are only visible to the board's owner and invited collaborators.
Review your teen's existing boards together. Personal boards (fashion, diary-style vision boards) should be set to Secret. Hobby boards can stay public if they're comfortable with it.
Turn off personalization based on:
This limits the degree to which the algorithm can build a detailed profile of your teen's interests and behaviors.
Pinterest allows users to send messages. Configure:
Restrict messages to:
For teens, set to "Followers only" or "No one" to prevent messages from strangers. Note that accounts under 16 are already limited to messaging mutual followers automatically.
Review any pending message requests and decline or block appropriately.
Categories include:
Blocking prevents a user from seeing your teen's profile, pins, or messaging them.
Pinterest has specific policies against content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide. These are taken seriously. If your teen encounters this content, report it immediately.
Pinterest's fashion, fitness, and "thinspiration"-adjacent content can negatively affect body image, particularly in girls ages 12–16. Periodic check-ins about what your teen is pinning can reveal concerning patterns worth discussing.
Pinterest applies restrictions to teen accounts automatically, based on the birthdate entered at signup:
For any account under 18, a parent can set a 4-digit passcode that locks changes to key account settings (like privacy and messaging), so a teen can't quietly loosen them. Set this up together from the teen's account settings.
If your teen created an account with a false birthdate to access more content, this bypasses age-appropriate restrictions. Encourage honest age entry.
Pinterest doesn't include viewing time limits. Use:
Pinterest can be surprisingly absorptive — an hour can pass unnoticed. Setting a daily limit is worthwhile.
Enable 2FA to protect against account compromise.
Pinterest is now configured with private boards, restricted messaging, and hidden profile visibility. With these settings in place and ongoing conversation about content, Pinterest can be a positive creative outlet for teens.