Pinterest, a popular social media platform known for its visual discovery and bookmarking features, is rolling out an innovative test aimed at helping minors concentrate during school hours in the United States and Canada. As part of this initiative, Pinterest will introduce a pop-up prompt specifically geared towards users aged 13 to 17, encouraging them to temporarily close the app and silence notifications during school hours.

The prompt, which reads, Focus is a beautiful thing. Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifs until the school bell rings, aims to promote mindfulness among teens. This feature is designed to appear only during typical school hours, specifically between 8 AM and 3 PM, Monday through Friday, ensuring that it targets students when they are most likely to be in class.

This initiative is part of a larger movement in the tech industry to address concerns about digital distractions among young users. Pinterest has stated that this significant test will reach millions of school-age users, marking it as a pioneering effort among tech companies to implement such a proactive feature. This initiative comes on the heels of a commitment made by Pinterest's CEO, Bill Ready, to support the Kids Online Safety Act as well as to endorse phone-free school policies.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in various regions, particularly in the United States, to limit phone usage in educational settings. New York is on the cusp of implementing a statewide ban on phone use during school hours. Similarly, several other states have already adopted policies that restrict or outright prohibit the use of mobile devices in classrooms. This trend is not limited to the U.S.; in Europe, countries like Denmark and the Netherlands have enacted bans on phone use in schools. France has also recently announced that students will be required to lock their phones away during school hours starting from the next academic year.

In addition to this new feature, Pinterest has also pledged a substantial $1 million grant to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). The funding aims to assist school leaders in fostering a healthy digital culture within educational institutions. The money will be allocated to task forces across 12 school districts in the United States, which will be responsible for developing policies aimed at enhancing students digital wellbeing. This multifaceted approach highlights Pinterest's commitment to not just being a social media platform, but also an ally in the educational sector's quest to improve student focus and mental health.