Share

Pinterest rolls out a new compassionate search tool for people in distress

accreditation
Pinterest now has a feature that assists with mental health.
Pinterest now has a feature that assists with mental health.

Pinterest, the social network which allows people to discover and share their interest in the form of images and videos, has just launched a new tool to assist people with their mental health. The app has gained popularity over time with users "pinning" images and videos with a common theme to create boards and follow people with common interests. 

Now, when users search terms such as "stress quotes" and "work anxiety" or anything related to mental health, they will see a prompt which will direct them to interactive activities which they can follow to help improve their mood.

A more compassionate experience

According to a statement released by Annie Ta, from Pinner Product Management, "These guided activities were created with the help of emotional health experts at Brainstorm, the Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation, and with advice from Vibrant Emotional Health and the National Suicide Prevention Helpline."

This initiative was aimed to help users in order to create a more compassionate experience which "addresses a broader emotional spectrum of what Pinners may be looking for", and within the last year "there have been millions of searches in the US related to emotional health on Pinterest". 

The interactive activities range from tools which can help users relax to self-compassion exercises. People searching for self-harm related content will be directed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline which only takes two taps. 

Activity is anonymous

Users do not need to worry about their information being shared or being tracked. "These resources look different from the rest of Pinterest, and that's because the experience is kept separate. People's interactions with these activities are private and not connected to their account," says Ta. Furthermore, Pinterest ensured that they will not show recommendations or ads based on the use of the resources provided and all activity is anonymously stored by means of a third-party service.

At the moment, the well-being activities will only be available to users in the US, but they are hopeful that the experience will be available to all users in the future. This is only one of the many things they have been busy with in order to make the network a more welcoming place for all users.

Ta concluded by saying, "We will continue to improve the experience, work with more health experts and make these resources available to even more people around the world." Pinterest has emphasised that this new feature is not trying to replace professional care in any way, but may help someone if they need support.

Image credit: iStock

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE