Once the hub for finding really innovative creators and DIY inspiration, Pinterest is now a maddening theme park of AI-generated content and aggressive algorithm pushing, with no human in sight.
Just my take on the platform. I never understood the point of Pinterest as it was always a hot mess with recycled content and dead it links. I tried using it starting in 2011 for some of my projects and for sharing my content and in the end gave up. Deleted my account and even added home networking settings to simply block Pinterest suggested links. I forgot Pinterest existed because I made the domain vanish.
Wow this is a telling article. I willingly plowed through the chaff of Pinterest to find the wheat for about 8 years longer than the reporter, then! It took that final blow of fake images to kill my interest I guess. The premise and the early days, however, I still consider as immensely valuable. They should have had more women running the show for sure.
This friction between AI generated content and real, practical solutions that people can use is an interesting problem for an idea board. If the executives at Pinterest truly understood their customer’s needs, they’d make it easier to filter out … or ban it outright.
It seems like it’s the economic “need” to keep growing. Eventually your customer base is too small and you have to change to attract more people … and then your competition is different, too.
Erika, I am loving The Velvet Chaise! Today your article on the Pretender, formerly known as Pinterest, struck me on so many levels. With great clarity (and a real beating heart), you’ve exposed a global transformation that’s unfolding with consequences we’re struggling to comprehend. Along with fellow artists, writers, musicians, and actors, I share your anguish. The current and future work lost to AI seems a cruel twist—knowing it’s our very work that AI mines to regurgitate. Thank goodness for The Velvet Chaise. I will skip Pinterest’s “house of mirrors” and come here for II—intelligent inspiration.
This is a thoughtful and insightful post. I haven't been on Pinterest in a while, maybe 6 months or so. I was looking for ideas for turning part of the basement into a library (coincidentally to some of the searches you mentioned--is something in the air about hunkering down in a cozy subterranean space?). I expected to find at least 15 "ideas." I found 1 room that looked remotely like what I was searching for. Just one. Same happened when I went looking for hair styles. Google was actually better than Pinterest for finding ideas. So sad.
Erika, you've said precisely what I've been thinking for the past year+. When I was building and decorating my new home in 2019, Pinterest was my go-to site for kitchen
and bathroom design ideas and decorating inspiration. Now, I can't find a decent, real human-written article on anything. It's been a lesson in frustration and sadness.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
AI equally is going to plague our internet to the point that folks are going to be desperate for human content. In a way I feel it will cause a rebalance where we become more connected to makers we trust again.
And here we have the Frankenstein of the modyworld… AI to me is a film I will rewatch only when I care to be disturbing… akin to Orwell’s 1984. What would Jane Austin say to all of this? What Elisabeth Leseur, SOG, wrote in her diary… and on and on… ❤️❤️
I just came across your article after having opened Pinterest to look for inspiration for my bedroom. It feels like the quality of the app has decreased so fast - I remember last summer I still had a good time with it, was able to find inspiration which was linked to websites etc. But then at some point earlier this year I realised my home feed mainly consists of ads now, almost every second image is an ad.
I remembered this term called "Enshittification" and I think this is exactly what is happening with Pinterest:
"Enshittification is a process through which a once-loved online platform becomes increasingly frustrating and less user-friendly. Initially, platforms attract users with high-quality content, superior functionality, and a focus on user satisfaction. However, as these platforms grow and the pressure to increase profits intensifies in the face of a user base which has reached saturation, the balance often shifts. The pursuit of revenue through advertising, data mining, and other means can lead to compromised platform quality and a diminished user experience."
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
Just my take on the platform. I never understood the point of Pinterest as it was always a hot mess with recycled content and dead it links. I tried using it starting in 2011 for some of my projects and for sharing my content and in the end gave up. Deleted my account and even added home networking settings to simply block Pinterest suggested links. I forgot Pinterest existed because I made the domain vanish.
I think this gizmodo article captures my frustration with the platform https://gizmodo.com/pinterest-should-die-1821521620
Wow this is a telling article. I willingly plowed through the chaff of Pinterest to find the wheat for about 8 years longer than the reporter, then! It took that final blow of fake images to kill my interest I guess. The premise and the early days, however, I still consider as immensely valuable. They should have had more women running the show for sure.
This friction between AI generated content and real, practical solutions that people can use is an interesting problem for an idea board. If the executives at Pinterest truly understood their customer’s needs, they’d make it easier to filter out … or ban it outright.
Agree. But even Etsy and eBay have been damaged by their success. Companies kinda lose their purity of purpose and content. I guess it is inevitable.
It seems like it’s the economic “need” to keep growing. Eventually your customer base is too small and you have to change to attract more people … and then your competition is different, too.
It makes sense to my rational mind. Yet I still grieve for what was. That’s my problem I guess.
It’s a societal problem … you’re fine!
Erika, I am loving The Velvet Chaise! Today your article on the Pretender, formerly known as Pinterest, struck me on so many levels. With great clarity (and a real beating heart), you’ve exposed a global transformation that’s unfolding with consequences we’re struggling to comprehend. Along with fellow artists, writers, musicians, and actors, I share your anguish. The current and future work lost to AI seems a cruel twist—knowing it’s our very work that AI mines to regurgitate. Thank goodness for The Velvet Chaise. I will skip Pinterest’s “house of mirrors” and come here for II—intelligent inspiration.
This is a thoughtful and insightful post. I haven't been on Pinterest in a while, maybe 6 months or so. I was looking for ideas for turning part of the basement into a library (coincidentally to some of the searches you mentioned--is something in the air about hunkering down in a cozy subterranean space?). I expected to find at least 15 "ideas." I found 1 room that looked remotely like what I was searching for. Just one. Same happened when I went looking for hair styles. Google was actually better than Pinterest for finding ideas. So sad.
Erika, you've said precisely what I've been thinking for the past year+. When I was building and decorating my new home in 2019, Pinterest was my go-to site for kitchen
and bathroom design ideas and decorating inspiration. Now, I can't find a decent, real human-written article on anything. It's been a lesson in frustration and sadness.
Thank you for your insight and voice!
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
Wow, that's incredible! Best thing I've heard all month. Thank you for telling me that.
AI equally is going to plague our internet to the point that folks are going to be desperate for human content. In a way I feel it will cause a rebalance where we become more connected to makers we trust again.
Someone else made that very same comment to me. A return to nature, if you will. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Soooo agree with you, Erika! Soooo sad! But also soooo glad there's a SubStack where we can talk about it!
And here we have the Frankenstein of the modyworld… AI to me is a film I will rewatch only when I care to be disturbing… akin to Orwell’s 1984. What would Jane Austin say to all of this? What Elisabeth Leseur, SOG, wrote in her diary… and on and on… ❤️❤️
I just came across your article after having opened Pinterest to look for inspiration for my bedroom. It feels like the quality of the app has decreased so fast - I remember last summer I still had a good time with it, was able to find inspiration which was linked to websites etc. But then at some point earlier this year I realised my home feed mainly consists of ads now, almost every second image is an ad.
I remembered this term called "Enshittification" and I think this is exactly what is happening with Pinterest:
"Enshittification is a process through which a once-loved online platform becomes increasingly frustrating and less user-friendly. Initially, platforms attract users with high-quality content, superior functionality, and a focus on user satisfaction. However, as these platforms grow and the pressure to increase profits intensifies in the face of a user base which has reached saturation, the balance often shifts. The pursuit of revenue through advertising, data mining, and other means can lead to compromised platform quality and a diminished user experience."
omg - that pretty much describes it. Enshittification. An ugly word for a once-beautiful site.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.
There was no creative spark or inspiration to be found on Pinterest when trying to gather ideas for a shed renovation on my newly purchased home. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I went to my local library, stumbled upon your book "She Shed", followed you on Instagram, and here I am. I am feeling beyond inspired and hungry to create. I am so thankful I serendipitously found your book. AI cannot compete with the tangible spark your book has ignited.