Pinterest

California
Media and Entertainment

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Pinterest has banned the pro-life group Live Action from its platform and has censored Christian terminology on its site. Pinterest has previously fundraised for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and provides travel benefits for abortion. Pinterest does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. The company has publicly endorsed the Equality Act. For these reasons, Pinterest receives a "High Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

Pinterest received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. In 2019, Pinterest permanently suspended the pro-life organization Live Action from the site due to “misinformation” (2). Similarly, a leaked document detailing Pinterest’s “Sensitive Terms List” revealed that the site censors religious terms such as “Bible verses” and “Christian Easter,” citing them as “brand unsafe” (3).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

Pinterest has no written rule prohibiting donations to religious nonprofits (1).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Pinterest does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Pinterest is a member of the Business Coalition for the Equality Act (1). Pinterest also signed the HRC’s Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ Legislation (2). The company has publicly supported Black Lives Matter (3).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Pinterest hosted a fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union for Trans Day of Visibility (1). Pinterest also did fundraising on behalf of the SPLC in 2017–2018 (2)(3). After the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, Pinterest announced that it provides travel benefits for abortions (4).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Pinterest does not operate a PAC.

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 29, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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