Pinterest is introducing a new pop-up prompt for teenage users in the U.S. and Canada, encouraging them to close the app and disable notifications during school hours. This initiative aims to help students focus on their schoolwork and preemptively address the increasing number of smartphone bans in schools across North America and globally.
This large-scale test features a prompt that appears on the feeds of users aged 13 to 17, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. The message reads: “Focus is a beautiful thing. Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifs until the school bell rings.” While these times may not perfectly align with every school’s schedule, they represent a general timeframe for a typical school day.
Focus prompt popping up on Pinterest home feed.
This focus prompt initiative follows Pinterest CEO Bill Ready’s support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), alongside other tech companies like Snap, Microsoft, and X (formerly Twitter). Although KOSA failed to pass the House of Representatives last year due to censorship concerns, it aimed to establish online safety guidelines for minors.
Pinterest asserts it’s the first social media platform to test such a feature, aiming to support not only school-imposed smartphone restrictions, like the recent ban in New York public schools starting in the 2025-26 school year, but also to promote digital wellbeing among students. To further this goal, Pinterest has pledged a $1 million grant to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). This funding will support task forces in 12 U.S. school districts to develop policies promoting digital wellbeing in education.
This proactive approach from Pinterest underlines a growing awareness of the impact of technology on students’ attention and academic performance. By encouraging mindful app usage, Pinterest aims to contribute to a healthier digital learning environment.
