Pinterest has become the first social media platform to ban any language and imagery regarding weight loss, including ads that denigrate diverse body types with testimonials about weight loss products, programs and any reference of body mass index (BMI).
The company stated in a blog post, "This stance makes Pinterest the only major platform to prohibit all weight loss ads. It's an expansion of our ad policies that have long prohibited body shaming and dangerous weight loss products or claims."
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Pinterest will still approve ads that promote "healthy habits and lifestyle tips," but have abolished the focus on weight loss.
Pinterest's head of policy, Sarah Bromma, said that the new rule change prioritized users' "emotional and mental health and wellbeing, especially those directly impacted by eating disorders or diet culture or body shaming."
The platform, which has a long history of thwarting pro-eating disorder content that surfaced on the site, has already blocked said searches and instead directs users to specialized organizations that deal with ED awareness.
Even with the policy change, many users' accounts that romanticize and endorse diet culture and body shaming still have millions of followers. These accounts have boards specifically devoted to revealing "skinny secrets" and body checking images.
Though a vast amount of negative content still persists on the site, the move comes in response to an uptick in "body neutrality," "stop body shaming quotes" and "self-love tips" user searches.
Photo Illustration via Getty/ Thiago Prudencio/ SOPA Images/ LightRocket