You've been using Pinterest for a while now, and you have collected a trove of Pins on the site. But do you know what information about yourself is stored on the site?
If you’re curious to know how much Pinterest knows about you, then this article is for you. We will show you how to download all the data that Pinterest has on you and what is included in it.
Downloading Your Pinterest Data is Not Easy
Unlike what is obtainable when downloading your data from Twitter, downloading your Pinterest data is neither an automated nor quick process.
Pinterest doesn’t provide an easy export function, and the standard operating procedure is to send them a request for your data via Pinterest support.
Another way you could request your data is through the Data Protection Officer Contact Form but this works only if you’re a Citizen of an EU Member State.
How to Request for Your Pinterest Data
If you're interested in requesting a copy of all the data Pinterest has about you, here are a few steps to take.
- Go to help.pinterest.com on your web browser.
- Go to the Privacy, safety and legal section and click on Access, edit, or delete personal data.
- Click on Request to access personal data in the Request type table.
- Fill your details in the Who are we helping? Page
Before getting to where you can submit your request, you’ll be asked to explain why you’re requesting your data. You’ll also be asked to attach an optional screenshot or video of any error messages that appear (in case you're requesting your data due to a bug).
You can continue without adding any screenshots though. Click on Submit in the Submit your issue for review page. According to Pinterest, responses to data requests are "usually" handled within 30 days.
If you no longer wish to use the platform after getting a copy of your data, you can request that your personal data be deleted by clicking on Delete my personal data in the Request type table. It takes a while for your data to be ready for download (it took 9 days to get ours), so you'll have to exercise some patience.
Getting the Actual Data File
Once you've received the mail from Pinterest letting you know that your data is ready, the steps to downloading it are a breeze.
Click on the link in the mail and enter your email address. A verification code will be sent to your mail,—copy and paste this to the Pinterest verification page.
Hover over the file to find the Save file button on the Secure File Transfer page. The file comes in .HTML format.
How to Access Your Pinterest Data
Double-click on the file in your download folder to open it. Scroll down through the various sections, or click on any heading in the Table of Contents on the left to get to any particular section.
The data available in the file includes your profile information, boards, Pins, comments, search query history, and just about everything you'd expect.
Here's what the actual file looks like:
It Doesn't Hurt to Know What Pinterest Knows About You
Pinterest, like every other social network, collects your activity data. This includes data on which Pins you click on, boards you create, and any text that you add in a comment or description.
This is in addition to the information you provided when you first signed up on the platform and information from your other profiles (Facebook or Google) linked to the account.
You may not think Pinterest presents a great privacy risk to you; however, it doesn’t hurt to find out what it knows about you.