Pinterest—UK coroner ruled Pinterest content contributed to 14-year-old Molly Russell's death alongside Instagram
In the September 2022 inquest into Molly Russell's death, Pinterest was found alongside Instagram to have served harmful content to the 14-year-old. Molly had created a Pinterest board with 469 images related to self-harm and depression. Pinterest sent her emails including '10 depression pins you might like.' Senior Pinterest executive Judson Hoffman admitted the site was 'not safe' when Molly used it and said he 'deeply regrets' the posts she viewed, conceding it was material he would 'not show to my children.' The coroner issued a prevention of future deaths report to Pinterest.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Safety | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Content Moderation | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Mental Health | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.552 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.66)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (2 signals)
Pinterest executive admitted platform was 'not safe' for Molly Russell during coroner's inquest
Pinterest senior executive Judson Hoffman admitted the site was 'not safe' when Molly used it and said he 'deeply regrets' the posts she viewed, conceding it was material he would not show to his own children.
ITV News reported Molly Russell ruling as first time tech platforms formally held responsible for child death
ITV News reported the landmark ruling as 'the first time technology platforms have been formally held responsible for the death of a child.' Pinterest had sent Molly emails recommending depression content and the coroner found the platform was 'not safe' for the 14-year-old.