Has Pinterest been asking for your birthdate? Have you been unable to update your birthdate on your account? Or have you received an email saying your account is deactivated? It’s all part of Pinterest’s attempt “to provide a personalized experience like relevant recommendations and ads. It also helps keep the Pinterest community safe.”
Users haven’t held back while expressing their discontent on platforms like Reddit with the new age-related actions taken by Pinterest. Many are complaining that they aren’t in favour of receiving age-specific content and ads, while some say their account was deactivated despite officially being over the minimum age requirement. But let’s look at why the platform brought in these changes.
Pinterest’s safety standards for minors have been debated online over the past several months, and since the platform has introduced new age-verification measures. Although Pinterest’s minimum age requirement to create and operate an account was 13 years old (with a slight variation based on a user’s location, depending on the age criteria to consent to data processing laws of their country), it was found that many profiles belonged to much younger users.
Why is Pinterest deactivating accounts?
As part of their safety measures, if a user’s age as per their birthdate mentioned on their account is below the stipulated age requirement (including people who might have provided a dummy birthdate that deems them as below the age requirement), you would have received an email notifying that your account has been deactivated.
Why can’t I change the birthdate on Pinterest?
Usually, you could change your birthdate by clicking the drop-down arrow next to your profile icon, selecting Settings and updating your birthdate under the Personal information tab.
However, if the birthdate for your account indicates that you are below 18 years old, you cannot edit it without going through an age verification process. You can continue using Pinterest without verifying your age but with limited access to features based on the platform’s teen safety options.
Also read: How to deactivate or delete your Twitch account?
How to verify your age on Pinterest?
If you are facing either of the two issues mentioned above despite officially being above the minimum age requirement, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the account deactivation email from Pinterest or the age verification email if you requested to change your birthdate.
Step 2: Send an appeal using the link provided in the email. Pinterest urges that all appeals be made via this link. Note that it expires within 7 days, after which you would have to contact their support team via the email on their website.
Step 3: Securely upload clear photos (preferably without using a flash to avoid whitened areas) of your documents, such as your government ID or birth certificate, on the link you receive for age verification. You may also need to upload a photo of yourself to ensure the documents are yours.
Pinterest has appointed a third-party verification partner and does not directly accept sensitive documents like your ID proof and birth certificate.
If you’re wondering how secure the process is, Pinterest mentions that their verification partner is PCI Level 1 compliant, the highest level for the globally recognized standard for data security.
Step 4: The verification process may take up to 5 business days, after which you would receive an email containing the outcome of your appeal.
Step 5: If the email says your appeal was successful, you can log back into your account since it will have been reactivated.
Step 6: If the email mentions that your appeal was rejected, your account will remain deactivated. You can email [email protected] to request a new link to appeal.
Why does Pinterest require my birthdate?
As mentioned before, Pinterest age verification requires you to verify your birthdate. However, if you’re sceptical about providing personal information to the social media platform, here is more information to help you understand Pinterest’s reasons and the privacy implications of sharing your documents online.
- On the one hand, Pinterest has taken measures to ensure that users aren’t violating the minimum age criteria and can access age-appropriate content to make the platform safer for its community, especially teen users.
- On the other hand, entering Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as your birthdate and going through the verification process where you are required to submit sensitive documents like your government ID and birth certificate comes with the possibility of the information being misused or leaked in a potential data breach.
Weighing the pros and cons, users can provide their birthdate and resume using the platform with access to all features; not provide their birthdate and use the platform in a limited scope; appeal for verification if their account is deactivated or have their birthdate changed to use the platform with all its features; discontinue using the platform. It is up to the user to choose which option works in their best interest.
Also read: Why is Pinterest not working?
