The social network Pinterest, in which users share photos of their interests, announced that since July 1, 2021 it has been prohibited from publishing advertising content related to weight loss.
“As of July 1, 2021, Pinterest is updating its advertising policies to ban all ads containing text or images related to weight loss,” the platform, which claims 475 million active users each month.
“major step”
“Only ads promoting healthy habits and lifestyles or fitness products and services will be allowed, as long as they are not focused on weight loss,” she says. Any text, image or testimonial about weight loss, diet products and products “to be worn or applied to the skin that claim to allow weight loss” are banned from the social network. Any content that “depicts or discredits certain shapes” and any reference to “body mass index (BMI) or similar indicators” is also prohibited.
This is “a major step in prioritizing the mental and physical health of our users. We want them to be able to feel free to be themselves on Pinterest, and to celebrate the diversity of bodies, whatever they look like,” Sarah Bromma, chief practice officer at Pinterest, said in the statement. or its size.
“Body expose”
The National Eating Disorders Association, linked to this change in advertising policy, says it is “hopefully” that the initiative “will encourage other organizations and companies to consider the potential danger posed by certain advertising messages.” He urged them to “establish new policies that would allow for real change”. Pinterest notes that this decision is part of an approach already underway with regard to advertising, and the social network has “for a long time” banned “body defamation” and posts apologizing for being too thin or dieting too strict.”
He adds that any search for keywords related to eating disorders is “automatically blocked, referring the user to an organization that can help them.” Finally, every week the social network will highlight content “from creators around the world” who are “reinventing our relationship with the body” by moving “topics” Positive, such as body neutrality and self-acceptance.