Pinterest's New Initiative for Student Focus
While Instagram suggests that teens take breaks after an hour of scrolling,Pinterest is going further by addressing this issue in schools. The visual platform is testing a new feature aimed at encouraging young users in the U.S. and Canada to close the app and silence notifications during school hours.
Encouraging Concentration During class
According to a report, Pinterest is running a significant test of this pop-up message designed to help teenagers concentrate on their studies. This initiative comes as many schools across North America are implementing smartphone bans. When students feel tempted to browse for photo editing ideas during class, they will see a message saying, “Focus is a stunning thing. Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifs until the school bell rings.”
Targeted Timing for Young Users
This prompt will be visible only to users aged 13 to 17 from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., which aligns wiht typical school hours. Though, it’s worth noting that most middle schools dismiss later than 3 p.m., while high schools often start around 7:40 a.m.
Support for online Safety Legislation
This focus prompt trial follows comments made by Pinterest CEO Bill Ready regarding support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Alongside other tech companies like Snap and Microsoft, he backed this bill aimed at protecting minors from harmful content online. Sadly, KOSA did not pass in the House of Representatives last year due to concerns about potential censorship.
Leading Efforts in Digital Wellbeing
Pinterest claims it is pioneering efforts among social media platforms by testing this focus prompt specifically for teens. this move not only addresses state-level smartphone restrictions—like New York's recent law banning smartphones in public schools starting in the 2025-26 academic year—but also aims to enhance digital wellbeing among students.
to further its commitment, Pinterest has announced plans to provide $1 million in grants to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). These funds will support initiatives across twelve U.S. school districts focused on creating policies that promote healthy technology use among students.
conclusion: A step Towards better Focus
By introducing these measures, Pinterest hopes to foster an surroundings where students can prioritize their education over distractions from social media apps during critical learning times.
