Goodbye, Pinterest.
I used a “spryfeet” account at Pinterest to post fun or inspiring graphics a few years ago. Here are some examples, which I also posted here:
Pinterest’s community guidelines at this writing indicate that Pinterest reserves the right to remove an account for these and other reasons:
- “Criticisms using insulting language” (Who decides what is insulting?)
- “Hateful or shaming remarks” (Who decides what is hateful or shaming?)
- “[S]upport for conversion therapy” (even when the client wants it?)
- “Mocking or attacking the beliefs, sacred symbols, movements, or institutions of the protected or vulnerable groups identified below” where those groups include “[p]eople grouped together based on their actual or perceived race, color, caste, ethnicity, immigration status, national origin, religion or faith, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or medical condition. It also includes people who are grouped together based on lower socio-economic status, age, weight or size, pregnancy or veteran status.” (Notice that it is okay to mock or attack people with higher socio-economic status!)
- “Content apparently intended to delegitimize election results on the basis of false or misleading claims” (To whom is the intention apparent? Who decides what claims are false or misleading?)
Pinterest has Section-230 protection, but it should not. The above list shows that Pinterest acts as a publisher, not a platform. Who’s to say that Pinterest won’t some day decide to remove accounts that make fun of those who run barefoot on debris-littered asphalt?
So, I closed my Pinterest account today.
Warning: If in the future you see a “spryfeet” account at Pinterest, then please note that the posts do not come from me.
Pinterest no longer deserves to earn advertising revenue from my readers’ attention.
