Pinterest Inc. said Thursday that it will ban ads with weight loss language and images on its platform as the company joins a broader movement for body positivity.
The online image sharing company will not allow any advertisements with weight loss testimonials or weight loss products. It will also ban language or images that idealize or disparage certain types of bodies, the company said. This does not extend to advertisements promoting healthy lifestyles, fitness habits and services, and products, he said.
Pinterest users, whom the company refers to as pinners, will still be able to search for topics like weight loss tips and healthy eating tips, the company said.
“Pinterest has always worked to mitigate potentially harmful or negative content that affects the user experience and spreads incorrect or harmful information on our platform,” Sarah Bromma, Pinterest’s chief policy officer, said in an email. “Banning weight loss ads is an expansion of these advertising policies.”
The updated policy will only apply to ads on the company’s platform, he said. Pinterest already has rules against users posting content that “depicts, rationalizes, or encourages eating disorders and other types of self-harm.”
Source: WSJ
