Key Takeaways
1. Pinterest is testing a feature to encourage children to log off during school hours (8 AM to 3 PM, Monday to Friday) with a pop-up message to “Pinterest down” and mute notifications.
2. This initiative aims to reach millions of students and promote healthy online behaviors as part of Pinterest’s proactive features.
3. Pinterest is providing a $1 million grant to the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) to help 12 school districts in the U.S. establish a healthy digital culture.
4. Wanji Walcott, Pinterest’s chief legal officer, emphasizes the need for collaboration among tech firms, educators, parents, and policymakers to reduce smartphone distractions in schools.
5. A Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school teachers believe cellphone distractions are a significant issue in classrooms.
Social media platform Pinterest is currently experimenting with a new feature that encourages children to log off while they’re in school. This pop-up message prompts them to “Pinterest down” and to mute notifications “until the school bell rings.”
Testing Hours and Reach
According to The Verge, this notification will be visible only during school hours, which are from 8 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. Pinterest claims that this alert will potentially reach “millions” of students. This initiative is part of a larger effort to try out “proactive” features and to foster healthy online behaviors.
Grant for Digital Culture
In addition, Pinterest has revealed a $1 million grant aimed at the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) to “assist school leaders in establishing a healthy digital culture within their institutions.” The funding will support 12 school districts across the United States to create regulations that enhance “digital wellbeing.”
Wanji Walcott, Pinterest’s chief legal and business affairs officer, mentioned to The Verge that schools can utilize the advantages of technology for students while reducing the negative effects and distractions that come along.
Collaboration for Solutions
Walcott stated, “Tech firms need to collaborate with educators, parents, and policymakers to create solutions that make sure smartphones serve as tools, not distractions, in our students’ hands.”
Earlier this year, Pinterest’s CEO Bill Ready expressed his support for “phone-free schools” in an interview with the Washington Post. He noted, “It’s so obvious that students will gain from having fewer distractions in the classroom” and added, “It will enhance their learning.”
A recent survey carried out by the nonpartisan organization Pew Research Center in fall 2023 assessed the impact of cellphone distractions in classrooms. The results showed that 72% of high school teachers surveyed believe “that students being distracted by cellphones is a significant issue in their classrooms.”
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply