Pinterest personalizes content and ads using information it collects from you and from other parties
Pinterest says its mission is to bring inspiration, and that to do so it shows you personalized content and ads based on information it collects from you and from other parties. Later sections spell out the ad personalization (which can use offsite activity and information from ad partners) and the information received from partners and advertisers.
Supporting quotations
we show you personalized content and ads we think you’ll be interested in based on information we collect from you and other parties
Depending on your age, location and privacy settings, we customize the ads we show you by identifying your interests based on your onsite and offsite activities
Online advertisers or third parties provide information to us about you
Qualifications & exceptions
Ad customization depends on age, location and privacy settings, as stated in the ad personalization section.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Pinterest uses your information to provide and improve your experience and show you content that is relevant to you
Pinterest says it is committed to showing you content that is relevant, interesting and personal to you, and that to do so it uses your information to provide and improve your experience. The list that follows gives the specific uses.
Supporting quotations
We’re committed to showing you content that’s relevant, interesting and personal to you.
we use your information to provide and improve your experience, including to:
Qualifications & exceptions
The list is introduced with 'including', so the specific uses are not stated to be exhaustive.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Pinterest uses your information to identify you and respond to your questions or comments
Pinterest uses your information to identify you when you use the Services and to respond to your questions or comments.
Supporting quotations
Identify you when you use our Services.
Respond to your questions or comments.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Recommendations are based on your activity on Pinterest and your offsite behavior
Pinterest uses your information to recommend Pins, boards or content based on your activity on the Services and your offsite behavior. For example, if you visit websites that sell electric guitars, it may suggest guitar Pins. The policy says that when it uses cookies to learn about your behavior on or off its services, it or its partners will obtain consent that may be needed under applicable law. For EEA, Swiss and UK residents the later legal-basis section lists customizing the experience based on offsite behavior as a use based on legitimate interests.
Supporting quotations
Recommend Pins, boards, or content you might like based on your activity on our Services and your offsite behavior.
if you visit websites that sell electric guitars, we may suggest guitar Pins to you.
we or our partners will obtain consent that we may need under applicable law
Customize your Pinterest experience based on your offsite behavior.
Qualifications & exceptions
Consent for cookies used to learn about behavior on or off the services is described as consent 'that we may need under applicable law', so it depends on the law that applies to you.
The legitimate-interests listing is within the section for EEA, Switzerland and UK residents.
Not stated here
The source does not say how offsite behavior is learned for recommendations beyond cookies and information from partners.
The linked Terms of Service passage on how content is recommended was not supplied.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
Photo-based search is available if you choose to enable it
Pinterest uses your information to allow searching with photos if you choose. For example, if you take a photo of shoes or furniture you like, you can ask Pinterest to show similar items. You can opt in to this in your device operating system settings.
Supporting quotations
Allow searching with photos, if you choose.
You can opt in to this in your device operating system settings.
Qualifications & exceptions
Depends on your choice and on opting in through device operating system settings.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
Precise location is used to customize your experience depending on where you live and with your consent
Depending on where you live, and with your consent, Pinterest uses your precise location to customize your experience. For example, if you are near a retailer it may show you that retailer's Pins. You can opt in to and out of this in your device operating system settings.
Supporting quotations
Depending on where you live, and with your consent, identify your precise location and customize your experience on our Services.
You can opt in to (and out of) this in your device operating system settings.
Qualifications & exceptions
Requires your consent and depends on where you live; opt in and out through device operating system settings.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Pinterest sends updates by email, push notification, SMS or phone; you can unsubscribe or change settings
Pinterest uses your information to send updates by email, push notification, SMS or phone. You can unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time and stop other notifications by updating your settings.
Supporting quotations
Send you updates, including by email, push notification, SMS, or phone.
You can unsubscribe from our promotional emails at any time
by updating your
Qualifications & exceptions
The 'at any time' unsubscribe is stated for promotional emails; other notifications are stopped through settings.
Not stated here
The source does not say how to stop SMS or phone contact separately.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Age verification may include facial age estimation and matching your face against a government ID
Pinterest may conduct age verification 'as appropriate', and says this may include facial age estimation and matching your face against a government ID.
Supporting quotations
as appropriate. This may include facial age estimation and matching your face against a government ID.
Qualifications & exceptions
Stated as done 'as appropriate' and as something it 'may include'.
Not stated here
The source does not say when age verification is triggered, who performs it, or how long face or ID information is kept.
The linked age verification appeals page was not supplied.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Information is used for analytics and research on who uses Pinterest and what they do
Pinterest uses information to conduct analytics and research on who is using the Services and what they are doing. For example, by logging how often people use two versions of a feature it can tell which version is better.
Supporting quotations
Conduct analytics and research on who is using our Services and what they are doing.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Pinterest uses information, including Pins, to train machine learning models and build generative AI features
Pinterest uses information to improve the products and services of its family of companies and to offer new features. As an example it uses information to train, develop and improve its technology, such as machine learning models, regardless of when Pins were posted. It names body type technology as trained on images in Pins posted to the Services, and says Pinterest also has features supported by generative artificial intelligence.
Supporting quotations
Improve the products and services of our family of companies and offer new features.
using information to train, develop and improve our technology such as our machine learning models, regardless of when Pins were posted.
which is trained on images in Pins posted to our Services
Pinterest also has features that are supported by generative artificial intelligence technology.
Qualifications & exceptions
The training use is given as an example ('For example'); the item does not restrict training to the named technologies.
'Regardless of when Pins were posted' means earlier Pins can be used.
A later passage lets EEA, Swiss and UK residents object where legitimate interests are the basis, including for generative AI features.
Not stated here
This item does not say which content (for example secret boards or messages) is used for training, or give an opt-out for residents outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
The linked AI at Pinterest page was not supplied.
Use & Processing · Company commitment
Aggregated or de-identified information is created, kept de-identified, and not re-identified
Pinterest uses information to create aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you. It says it processes, maintains and uses that information only in a de-identified fashion for the purposes of this Privacy Policy and will not attempt to re-identify it.
Supporting quotations
Create aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.
will not attempt to re-identify such information
Qualifications & exceptions
The commitment covers use for the purposes of this Privacy Policy.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Ads are personalized from onsite and offsite activity and partner information, depending on age, location and settings
Pinterest uses the information it collects to decide which ads to show you on Pinterest and, depending on where you live, to enable itself or partners to show you ads both on and off Pinterest. Depending on your age, location and privacy settings, it customizes ads by identifying your interests from onsite and offsite activities and from information received from ad partners or other third parties. The same list includes advertising Pinterest to you on other sites and apps and telling ad partners how their ads are doing.
Supporting quotations
We also use your information to personalize the ads you see
Decide which ads to show you directly on Pinterest, and, depending on where you live, enabling Pinterest directly or through partners to show you ads both
Depending on your age, location and privacy settings, we customize the ads we show you by identifying your interests based on your onsite and offsite activities, as well as by using information we receive from ad partners or other third parties.
Advertise Pinterest products and services to you on other sites and apps.
Tell our ad partners how their Pinterest ads are doing, and how to make them better.
Qualifications & exceptions
Off-Pinterest ad display and the ad customization depend on where you live, your age and your privacy settings.
The examples given (camping tents, sleeping bags) are illustrations.
Use & Processing · Restriction or exception
Where cookies identify your offsite interests for ads, consent is obtained where required
The ad personalization item says that where Pinterest uses cookies to identify your offsite interests, it will get your consent where required. The sentence is qualified by 'where required', so it depends on the law that applies to you.
Supporting quotations
Where we use cookies to identify your offsite interests, we’ll get your consent where required.
Qualifications & exceptions
Consent is promised 'where required', not in all cases.
Not stated here
The source does not list where consent is required.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Generative AI features let advertisers add limited content to their ads
Pinterest says it offers features supported by generative artificial intelligence that enable advertisers to add limited content to their ads. The item does not explain how those features work or what information about users they use.
Supporting quotations
We also offer features supported by generative artificial intelligence to enable our advertisers to add limited content to their ads.
Qualifications & exceptions
The content advertisers may add is described as 'limited'.
Not stated here
The source does not say what user information, if any, these features use or what 'limited' means.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used for personalized content
For personalized content under legitimate interests, Pinterest lists these categories: account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, log data, information from cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources (third party platforms, technical service partners, advertisers and other partners). The list does not name your communications with Pinterest or your synced contacts for this purpose; that is a feature of this list, not a statement that the information is never used elsewhere.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category for this purpose.
Not stated here
The source does not say whether any listed category is limited in how much of it is used for this purpose.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used for community building
For community building under legitimate interests, Pinterest lists account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your contacts, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources. Unlike the personalized-content list, this one names your contacts.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your contacts
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category for this purpose.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information that may be used for safety purposes
For safety purposes Pinterest says the actual information used depends on the factual circumstances but could include any of the following: account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your communications with Pinterest, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources.
Supporting quotations
The actual information used depends on the factual circumstances, but could include any of the following:
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your communications with us
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
The list is introduced with 'could include', so which items are used depends on the circumstances.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Analytics and research on legitimate interests: who uses Pinterest and what they do
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest lists conducting analytics and research on who is using Pinterest and what they are doing as a use based on legitimate interests, with the example of logging how often people use two versions of a feature to see which is better. The same use appears in the general section.
Supporting quotations
Conduct analytics and research on who is using Pinterest and what they are doing.
Conduct analytics and research on who is using our Services and what they are doing.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK for the legal-basis listing.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Improving products on legitimate interests includes training machine learning on any Pins and generative AI features
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest lists improving the products and services of its family of companies and offering new features as based on legitimate interests. It gives the example of using information to train, develop and improve its machine learning models regardless of when Pins were posted, and says some of this information may be aggregated or de-identified. It says that, to improve search, it uses machine learning to categorise images in Pins into body types and that for this purpose it uses any Pins on Pinterest. It also says it has features supported by generative artificial intelligence. A later passage lets these residents object where legitimate interests are the basis, including for generative AI features.
Supporting quotations
Improve the products and services of our family of companies and offer new features.
using information to train, develop and improve our technology such as our machine learning models, regardless of when Pins were posted.
Some of this information may be aggregated or de-identified.
Pinterest uses machine learning technology to categorise images in Pins into different
For this purpose, Pinterest uses any Pins on Pinterest.
Pinterest also has features that are supported by generative artificial intelligence technology.
which is trained on images in Pins posted to our Services
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK for the legal-basis listing.
Only 'some' of the information is described as possibly aggregated or de-identified.
The right to object for these residents is stated in the rights section.
Not stated here
'Any Pins on Pinterest' is not qualified in this item; the source does not say whether secret or private Pins are included.
The linked AI at Pinterest and body type pages were not supplied.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used to improve, innovate and develop the Services
For improving, innovating and developing the Services, Pinterest lists account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your communications with Pinterest, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your communications with us
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information that may be used for legal advice and disputes
For legal advice and disputes, Pinterest says the actual information used depends on the factual circumstances but could include account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your communications with Pinterest, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources.
Supporting quotations
The actual information used depends on the factual circumstances, but could include any of the following:
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your communications with us
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
The list is introduced with 'could include'.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Communicating with you on legitimate interests: respond to questions and send updates, which may be marketing
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest lists communicating with you as based on legitimate interests: responding to questions or comments, and sending updates (for example when activity such as saves or comments happens) and news by email or push notification depending on your settings, such as weekly updates with Pins you may like. Depending on where you live, this may be marketing and in certain cases Pinterest will obtain your consent. You can stop these notifications by updating your settings. The interests stated are continuously improving customer support and informing users of new features.
Supporting quotations
Respond to your questions or comments.
Send you updates (such as when certain activity, like saves or comments, happens on Pinterest) and news by email or push notification, depending on your settings.
Depending on where you live, this may be marketing and in certain cases we will obtain your consent.
It is in our interest and in the interest of Pinterest users to continuously improve and develop the customer support we provide.
It is in our interest and in the interest of Pinterest users to learn of new features and elements that may be of interest to them.
Qualifications & exceptions
Marketing and consent depend on where you live, and consent is obtained only 'in certain cases'.
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK for the legal-basis listing.
Not stated here
The source does not say in which cases consent is obtained.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used to communicate with you
For communicating with you, Pinterest lists account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your communications with Pinterest, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your communications with us
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Ads on Pinterest on legitimate interests: ad choice from on-Service information, plus generative AI for advertisers
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest lists delivering advertising on its Services as based on legitimate interests: deciding which ads to show you based on information on the Services, for example showing outdoor-product ads if you show interest in camping tents. It also offers features supported by generative artificial intelligence that let advertisers add limited content to their ads. The interest stated in the next packet is receiving relevant ads, which it calls the primary funding of the service.
Supporting quotations
Decide which ads to show you based on information on our Services.
We also offer features supported by generative artificial intelligence to enable our advertisers to add limited content to their ads.
This is also the primary funding of the service
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
The ad decision here is based on information on the Services; offsite-based ad customization is covered by the consent listing.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used to deliver ads on Pinterest
For delivering ads on its Services, Pinterest lists account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, your communications with Pinterest, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources. Cookie information refers to the cookie-based log data described earlier, and data from other sources includes third-party platforms that furnish information when you log in with them.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Your communications with us
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
We also use “cookies” or similar technologies to obtain log data.
they will furnish certain information to us to facilitate your account creation or log-in with us
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category.
This list includes your communications with Pinterest, which the personalized-content and community lists do not.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used for ad measurement and analytics
For measurement and ad analytics, Pinterest lists account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, and data from other sources. This list does not name your communications with Pinterest or user choices.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Categories of information used for off-Pinterest ads about Pinterest
For ads about Pinterest delivered off Pinterest, the listed categories are account information (excluding race or ethnicity), content, location information, log data, cookie data and similar technologies, device information, usage data and inferences, user choices, and data from other sources. This list does not name your communications with Pinterest.
Supporting quotations
Account information (excluding race or ethnicity)
Content
Location information
Log data
Information from cookie data and similar technologies
Device information
Usage data and inferences
User choices
Data from other sources (third party platforms; technical service partners; advertisers and other partners)
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
Race or ethnicity is excluded from the account information category.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
Consent-based uses include searching with photos, which you opt in to through device settings
Where you have given consent, for example through your device settings, Pinterest lists allowing searching with photos: if you take a photo of shoes or furniture you like you can ask it to show similar items. You can opt in to this in your device operating system settings.
Supporting quotations
Where you have given us consent (for example through your device settings):
Allowing searching with photos.
You can opt in to this in your device operating system settings.
Allow searching with photos, if you choose.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK (the legal-bases section).
Use & Processing · Company practice
Ads based on offsite activities rely on consent, including consent that ad partners or third parties already obtained
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest lists ads on Pinterest based on offsite activities as a use for which it relies on consent. It customizes ads by identifying interests from offsite activities and from information received from ad partners or other third parties. Where ad partners or third parties share information about you, Pinterest says it relies on the consent they have already obtained, so for that information the consent is not collected by Pinterest itself. The general section says that where cookies identify offsite interests it will get consent where required.
Supporting quotations
Ads on Pinterest based on offsite activities. We customize the ads we show you by identifying your interests based on your offsite activities, as well as by using information we receive from ad partners or other third parties.
Where ad partners or other third parties share information with us about you, we rely on the consent they have already obtained.
Where we use cookies to identify your offsite interests, we’ll get your consent where required.
Online advertisers or third parties provide information to us about you
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to residents of the EEA, Switzerland and the UK (the legal-bases section).
For partner-supplied information, Pinterest relies on consent the partner obtained.
Not stated here
The source does not describe what consent ad partners obtain or how Pinterest checks it.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Race or ethnicity you provide is used to promote you as a Creator, for example during Black History Month
If you choose to provide race or ethnicity information, Pinterest lists using it, on the basis of consent, to promote you as a Creator (for example during Black History Month) or to reach out to you about events.
Supporting quotations
Promotion of Creators. If you choose to provide race or ethnicity information we will use it to promote you as a Creator, for example during Black History Month, or reach out to you about events.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies if you choose to provide race or ethnicity information; listed among consent-based uses for EEA, Swiss and UK residents.
Not stated here
The source does not say whether this use also applies to people outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK who provide the information.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
Where Pinterest relies on consent, you can withdraw it at any time
For EEA, Swiss and UK residents, Pinterest says that where it relies on consent you can withdraw that consent at any time. The rights section adds that the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal is not affected.
Supporting quotations
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.
The lawfulness of Pinterest’s processing before you withdraw your consent will not be affected by such withdrawal.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies where Pinterest relies on consent.
Not stated here
The source does not say how consent given to a partner, which Pinterest relies on, is withdrawn.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
Consent can be withdrawn, and earlier processing stays lawful
Where Pinterest relies on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. For people in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland the policy adds that you can withdraw consent at any stage, and that the lawfulness of Pinterest's processing before you withdraw is not affected.
Supporting quotations
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your data, you can withdraw your consent at any stage.
The lawfulness of Pinterest’s processing before you withdraw your consent will not be affected by such withdrawal.
Qualifications & exceptions
The detailed statement is in the list of additional rights for residents of the EEA, UK and Switzerland.
Not stated here
The source does not say how to withdraw consent.
Use & Processing · User right or choice
EEA, Swiss and UK residents can object to direct marketing and to processing based on legitimate interests
If you live in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland you have additional rights. You can object to direct marketing from Pinterest or where it relies on legitimate interests to process your information, such as where features supported by generative artificial intelligence are based on legitimate interests. You can object through a form.
Supporting quotations
If you live in the EEA, the UK, or Switzerland, you also have some additional rights:
Right to object or restrict processing: You can object to direct marketing from us or where we rely on legitimate interests to process your information, such as where features supported by generative artificial intelligence are based on legitimate interests.
Qualifications & exceptions
Limited to residents of the EEA, the UK and Switzerland.
Not stated here
The source does not say what happens to an objection to generative AI features, or whether people outside these regions can object.
Pinterest will respect opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control for users in certain U.S. states
For users who reside in certain U.S. states and have enabled an opt-out preference signal such as Global Privacy Control, Pinterest says it will respect that preference when they use Pinterest.
Supporting quotations
For users who reside in certain U.S. states and have enabled an opt-out preferences signal (such as Global Privacy Control), we will respect this preference when you use Pinterest.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to users who reside in certain U.S. states and have enabled the signal.
Not stated here
The source does not say which states or what the signal opts out of.