Pinterest Tests New Features for Teens Amid School Smartphone Ban

While Instagram suggests that teens take a break after an hour of scrolling, Pinterest is stepping up their efforts by addressing this issue in educational settings. The popular visual platform is currently piloting a new feature in the United States and Canada that encourages younger users to log off and disable notifications during school hours.

A report from The Verge details that Pinterest is conducting an extensive trial of this feature to help teenagers concentrate on their studies, staying ahead of the smartphone restrictions being implemented in schools throughout North America and beyond. When students feel the impulse to browse Pinterest for creative ideas during class, they will see a message pop up that says, “Focus is a beautiful thing. Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifications until the school bell rings.”

This prompt will target users aged 13 to 17 during typical school hours, which are generally from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. However, it’s worth noting that most middle schools dismiss classes after 3 p.m., and high schools may start around 7:40 a.m., circulating from personal experience.

This initiative comes a few months after Pinterest’s CEO Bill Ready expressed support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), alongside other tech companies such as Snap and Microsoft. This bill aimed to implement guidelines protecting minors from harmful content on social media but did not pass the House of Representatives last year due to concerns that it could lead to censorship.

Pinterest asserts that it is pioneering the implementation of the focus prompt for teenage users, not only to align with regional restrictions on smartphone use in schools—New York recently enacted a law banning smartphone use in public schools starting in the 2025-26 academic year—but also to promote healthier digital habits among students. As part of this mission, Pinterest has also pledged a $1 million grant to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to support initiatives across 12 U.S. school districts, developing policies aimed at enhancing digital wellbeing.