There's no doubt Halloween will look different this year — but ???????? ?? ??????maybe not only for the reason you think.
This Halloween, Pinterest is adding new measures (in addition to its existing ban on the advertisement of "culturally inappropriate" costumes) to cut down on the number of insensitive costume ideas on the site.
Cultural appropriation — the adoption of a culture you don't belong to through ways of dress, speech, or expression — is routinely a problem on Halloween, as people (bafflingly) choose to dress up in costumes that represent other cultures in a stereotypical fashion time and time again.
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Though Pinterest has had its advertising policy banning the promotion of culturally insensitive costumes in place since 2016, the company explained in a statement its new actions are meant to take it "even further."
"Halloween should be a time for inspiration — not a time for insensitivity. Costumes should not be opportunities to turn a person’s identity into a stereotyped image," Annie Ta, head of inclusive product at Pinterest, told Mashable via email. "As a place that’s used by hundreds of millions of people, we feel a responsibility at Pinterest to keep the platform inspiring and positive and bring awareness to the fact that cultures aren’t costumes."
To that end, there are a number of updates this year.
As users search for particular Halloween costume ideas, such as Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) costumes, a prominent pin with information from experts and Pinterest employees about how to celebrate Halloween "thoughtfully and respectfully," will appear. They'll feature educational guides, tips for being culturally sensitive on Halloween, and other resources.
Additionally, certain costumes won’t appear as suggested recommendations in email, notifications, or new pins in home feed, though people can still search for this content.
As for how Pinterest will deem costumes to be appropriate or not, a representative said the company worked with internal groups and "third-party experts who have advised and provided input on a broad range of search terms."
Users will also be able to report costumes depicted on the site that are "culturally insensitive."
Though Halloween will likely be celebrated very differently this year around the country due to the pandemic, for those that do dress up, Pinterest's updates might just help make the holiday a little more enjoyable for all.
Topics Social Good Pinterest