Why do we love Pinterest?

With the recent social media ban for under-16s in the UK being announced on June 15, many people are beginning to debate whether social media is really as harmful as the government claims it to be. However, whilst the use of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat evidently pose numerous threats to their users’ mental wellbeing and safety, Pinterest is centred on celebrating creativity and generating inspiration.

Pinterest is a popular social media platform which allows users to not only pin a variety of images within perfectly organised boards but also post their own aesthetically pleasing photographs. Pinterest’s influence has grown so much that the app has even become its own aesthetic. I’m sure we have all heard people compliment an outfit or a perfectly decorated room by saying: “that’s so Pinterest”. Thus, Pinterest is undeniably a huge source of inspiration for Gen Z. Whether you’re looking for outfit ideas, future home inspiration, or recipes, Pinterest has it all.

 I find that having a vision board easily accessible from my phone serves as a constant reminder of all the things I hope to achieve

Pinterest boards often focus on visualising an ideal future. At the beginning of every year, I join thousands of other users in creating my new year’s vision board. Aesthetically pleasing snapshots of healthy meals, travel destinations, and study motivation tend to dominate my vision board every year as I aim to fulfil my new year’s resolutions. Some use this opportunity to plan ahead and curate their dream wedding or future home. Others romanticise their current lives as university students when pinning images of coffee study dates and dimly-lit libraries. However, do these Pinterest boards have a lasting beneficial impact? Or is this social media platform just another escape from reality, hiding behind the promise of an unattainable future?

Personally, I find that having a vision board easily accessible from my phone serves as a constant reminder of all the things I hope to achieve, thus encouraging me to work towards attaining these dreams. Yet, on the other hand, the ability for users to romanticise their reality and live vicariously through the photographs of other people’s lives suggests that this app is yet another source of unrealistic escapism.

Pinterest also allows users to gain inspiration from others without the pressure of conforming to what is trending online

Whilst it is debatable whether Pinterest boards truly have an impact upon their creator’s successes and achievements, the platform’s prioritisation of user safety and inclusivity proves the pros to outweigh the cons. Additionally, Pinterest does not encourage the toxic competition between social media users which is frequently seen on platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok. Whilst the algorithms of Instagram and TikTok exaggerate the pressure for users to gain superficial views, likes, and followers, Pinterest focalises the images being posted rather than the people posting them.

Pinterest also allows users to gain inspiration from others without the pressure of conforming to what is trending online. Whilst TikTok and Instagram feeds are filled with influencers posting paid promotions on the new ‘must-have’ product, Pinterest has a more personal feel. For instance, this social media’s algorithm is entirely focused on what you, as the user, want to see. The algorithm produces images similar to pins already saved in your profile and also refines hair and beauty searches in order to match the user’s skin tone, body type, and hair type, highlighting the platform’s value of inclusivity. Pinterest’s rejection of social media users basing their decisions upon the influence of internet celebrities thus emphasises a focus on maintaining individualism and exhibiting creative freedom.

So, if you’re fed up with feeling guilty from doomscrolling for hours on TikTok, why not turn to Pinterest instead? Start curating your digital moodboard and find inspiration in the endless variety of images this social media platform has to offer. But don’t just let these vision boards collect dust within your digital screens. Instead, remember to enact your dreams into reality.