Pinterest creates inferred interest profiles about you based on your activity on and off the platform, and uses these inferences to personalize the content and ads you see.
This analysis describes what Pinterest's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The policy states that Pinterest builds inferred interest profiles using both on-platform and off-platform activity data, which means the data used to target you reflects a combination of your Pinterest behavior and your broader online activity as observed through partner integrations.
Interpretive note: The policy does not specify the categories of inferences drawn or enumerate which interest profile attributes can be excluded through available opt-out mechanisms.
This provision authorizes Pinterest to derive inferred interest and preference profiles from your activity data, which directly determines the ads and content recommendations you receive; users wishing to limit this profiling may do so through ad personalization settings, though the policy does not specify whether all inference categories can be fully excluded.
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"We use information about you to provide, improve, and develop our products and services, personalize your experience, show you relevant content and ads, and communicate with you. We draw inferences about your interests and preferences based on your activity on Pinterest and elsewhere.— Excerpt from Pinterest's Pinterest Privacy Policy
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Under GDPR, automated profiling that produces significant effects on individuals is subject to restrictions under Article 22. Ad personalization profiling for standard commercial targeting is generally not considered to produce legal or similarly significant effects, but documentation of the profiling logic and data sources may be required. Under CPRA, consumers have the right to opt out of automated decision-making in certain contexts and to limit use of sensitive personal information in profiling. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. Interest profiling derived from on- and off-platform data is standard practice for ad-supported platforms; however, the breadth of data inputs (including off-platform browsing) and the lack of specificity about inference categories may engage GDPR transparency obligations under Article 13/14, which require disclosure of the logic of automated processing. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EEA users may request information about the logic of profiling under GDPR. California users under CPRA have opt-out rights for automated decision-making and profiling using sensitive personal information. Other US state privacy laws (Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut) provide opt-out rights for profiling used for targeted advertising. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Where inferred interest data is shared with advertising partners, the legal basis for that sharing should be documented. Vendor contracts should clarify whether partners may use inferred interest data for their own purposes beyond the stated ad delivery function. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should document the categories of inferences drawn, the data sources used, and the retention period for inferred profiles. GDPR transparency notices should describe the logic of interest profiling in accessible terms. Opt-out mechanisms for profiling-based advertising should be audited for functionality.
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The policy states that Pinterest builds inferred interest profiles using both on-platform and off-platform activity data, which means the data used to target you reflects a combination of your Pinterest behavior and your broader online activity as observed through partner integrations.
This provision authorizes Pinterest to derive inferred interest and preference profiles from your activity data, which directly determines the ads and content recommendations you receive; users wishing to limit this profiling may do so through ad personalization settings, though the policy does not specify whether all inference categories can be fully excluded.
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