How Pinterest Became the Internet’s Girls Bathroom

With its delectable visual layout, luscious blend of idealised aesthetics and eye-catching candids, Pinterest has transcended the conventional social media platform and evolved into a digital space for users to curate and manifest their dreams. 

The image-sharing platform, which blossomed in popularity over the last decade, has cemented itself as a unicorn amongst its social media contemporaries, including Facebook and Instagram. With its simple user interface designed to promote inspiration across diverse topics ranging from home decor, fashion, beauty, and recipes to travel, the platform fostered a culture of creativity and individual expression in its community.

Pinterest’s setup uses curation, imagination, and organization to create visual collections with specific themes or interests by saving or ‘pinning’ images on virtual pinboards. Its efficiency, intuitive format, and lack of complication have changed the process of online visual cataloging whilst overshadowing competitors like Tumblr and (the now shut down) Weheartit.

In recent years, the platform has emerged as a digital sanctuary for its predominantly female users, who make up 76.2% of its population. While Its social media peers have drowned in a toxic melange of online harassment, artificial engagement, and misinformation. As the last front of innocence in the digital landscape, its orientation towards a female demographic played a crucial role in shaping its culture and evolution.

Pinterest’s emphasis on positivity and inspiration has allowed young women to curate visually appealing content that reflects their tastes and aspirations without fear of judgment and toxicity. The platform’s commitment to managing a remarkably non-toxic community is evident since it de-emphasized its social media elements years ago. Its introduction of stricter community guidelines with policies against body shaming and sexualization whilst promoting positive self-image and emotional well-being has maintained its healthy climate.

Pinterest’s Inclusive Community

Young girls and women have access to one of the last few digital spaces where they can express themselves authentically and foster a positive sense of identity. In 2023, Pinterest was instrumental in creating many self-help, curation, and improvement trends on the internet, from ‘That Girl‘, vision boards to aspirational aesthetics. The platform also emphasized inclusivity with its diverse search filters providing new options for hair, skin tone, and body type.

The Pinterest Creator Fund, which offers educational, strategic, and financial resources to underrepresented creators with substantial followings, is also part of the platform’s initiative to foster inclusivity and diversity in its quest to maintain a positive internet. The program also underscores Pinterest’s commitment to providing valuable support to content creators who may face barriers in the digital landscape.

Although the app’s popularity is credited to its feminine aesthetic, design and appeal, its success with women is more than strategy or coincidence. Pinterest acts as a virtual third space for young women to share, connect and validate their interests and experiences. Its usefulness, purpose and maintenance have created a system that enables female passion, strengths and connection.

Journalist David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect, noted in his Facebook post about Pinterest: “One friend yesterday said that for a man, going to Pinterest is like walking into a woman’s bathroom.”

This observation aptly describes the dynamic and relations on Pinterest particularly as it influences girl culture today. In a digital landscape dominated by toxicity and unsafe interactions, spaces like Pinterest are fewer than a dozen. Girls have trooped and taken over the natural safety community and the simplicity the app offers.

Why Girls Need Digital Safe Spaces

Beyond its visual appeal, the significance of Pinterest’s offerings cannot be stretched with the myriad of challenges young people face online. Online harassment ranging from cyberbullying and impersonation to more insidious forms of abuse has only increased over the years. The internet also has a likelihood of amplifying societal pressures and contributing to unrealistic beauty standards in girls. This fosters an environment where appearance and popularity are prioritised over genuine self-expression and authenticity.

Additionally, the constant connectivity allowed by social media platforms exposes young users to a load of complex information. It also makes it challenging to navigate misinformation and discern trustworthy sources. The addictive nature of social media also complicates mental health issues in young people. They are more likely to compare themselves to the curated, unrealistic representations they see online. These fears are only harder to navigate with privacy concerns and the potential for exploitation due to a poor understanding of digital safety.

Pinterest’s Influence on Internet Culture

Despite its smaller size, Pinterest’s rippling influence moves past the social media landscape. With its visual-centric content, early trend adoption, niche expertise and e-commerce integration, the platform has promoted many viral products and topics of conversation. Its impact on other social media platforms and the real world has changed online content and consumer behaviour. With 82% of active users making a purchase from the app, the platform has become a shopping mall disguised as a mood board.

Gen-Z users, Pinterest’s fastest-growing demographic, are mainly interested in lifestyle content from the app. Trends like “Vanilla girl aesthetic”, “Which character are you?” and “Dream life” aspirational mood boards often explode on TikTok and other platforms after originating from Pinterest. This also leads to internet users going from creating aesthetic aspirations to translating them into tangible purchases.

Ultimately, Pinterest has become a secure base for female expression and healthy interaction and a trendsetting platform. It has resonated beyond its purpose and platform, impacting the broader digital landscape. Despite its differences with its contemporary social media giants, it acts as a driving force shaping the evolving trends of the digital era.