Pinterest Lets Content Owners Control How Their Images Are Used

Pinterest is giving content owners greater control over their intellectual property with a tool that lets them claim copyright and decide how images are used.

The new Content Claiming Portal allows creators to remove existing versions of their content and prevent future versions from being used on Pinterest.

A select group of content creators have been testing the tool, which is now available with iterations made based on their feedback.

The Content Claiming Portal may prove to be an effective way for rights holders to ensure their photos and videos are not misused on Pinterest.

Content is regularly downloaded and republished by others on social media with few safeguards in place for rights holders. Pinterest is going a step further in protecting creators by removing owned content and blocking it from getting published by others in the future.

Pinterest users should be aware of this update, even if they’re not copyright holders, because they may find images getting removed if they’re unknowingly using others’ content.

Here’s more about Pinterest’s Content Claiming Portal and how creators can submit a claim.

Pinterest Content Claiming Portal

Creators can take control of their content on Pinterest by filling out an application which asks them to provide proof of content ownership.

The application asks for personal contact information and links to sources where content ownership can be verified. See an example below:

Creators can write a detailed description of their work and include as much information as they wish.

If the application is approved, creators will have three options to enforce how their content is used on Pinterest:

• Mine only: Remove existing and future versions of the images from Pinterest, except Pins originally saved by the creator.
• Website only: Remove existing and future versions of the images from Pinterest, except Pins that link to the creator’s claimed website(s). (This option will only be available if the creator has a claimed website.)
• Block all: Remove all existing and future versions of these images from Pinterest.

Once accepted into the Content Claiming Portal, rights holders will be able to claim ownership of additional content without having to submit an application each time. They can simply upload an owned image, which Pinterest will use to block and remove matching images.

Anyone who owns copyright to content can apply for access to the Content Claiming Portal to claim their content and control how it appears on Pinterest.

There’s no limit on how much content a creator can claim in total, but they can upload up to 50 works to the portal at a time.

The Content Claiming Portal currently only supports images. It may expand to support additional file types in the future.

Pinterest is accepting a limited number of applicants to the Content Claiming Portal at this time, though plans are in place to expand access in the future. Who is accepted is determined based on the information provided in the application.

If an application is rejected, creators will be able to reapply in 30 days.

Claims may be disputed in the event that two or more creators claim ownership of the same image, in which case Pinterest will require proof in the form of a court order.

Content owners can submit an application to the Content Claiming Portal here.

Source: Pinterest Newsroom