Pinterest CEO Confronts Dark Reality of Social Media's Impact on Teen Mental Health

Pinterest Boss Says He Thinks About Molly Russell Every Day In a candid interview with the BBC, Pinterest's CEO Bill Ready revealed that he thinks about 14-year-old Molly Russell every day, who took her own life in 2017 after viewing self-harm content on social media platforms. Ready acknowledged that Pinterest was not safe at the time of Molly's death and stated that learning from this tragedy guides their work to make the platform safer for young users. Timeline of Events Molly Russell died in November 2017, after a coroner ruled that the online material she was exposed to contributed "in a more than minimal way" to her death. In 2022, Pinterest acknowledged its role in Molly's death and a hearing revealed that the platform had failed to prevent her exposure to self-harm content. Immediate Impact and Response Pinterest has since taken steps to improve its safety features, including introducing new moderation tools and increasing transparency around content removal. Ready emphasized the importance of prioritizing user safety and acknowledged the pain felt by Molly's family. Background Context Molly Russell's case highlighted concerns about social media companies' responsibility for protecting young users from online harm. Pinterest has faced criticism in the past for its handling of self-harm content, but under Ready's leadership, the company has made efforts to address these issues. What Happens Next As social media platforms continue to grapple with the issue of online safety, Pinterest's commitment to prioritizing user well-being is a crucial step forward. With Ready at the helm, the company will likely continue to invest in moderation tools and transparency measures to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. The industry as a whole will be watching closely to see how other social media companies respond to this growing concern. *This story is developing. Information compiled from Bbc reporting.*