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Published Jan 17, 2020

Recode Decode: Ben Silbermann

Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann unveils how the platform balances inspiration with commerce, engineering happiness and trust in the evolving online shopping landscape. He discusses design ethics, verified merchants, and innovative strategies that bridge user engagement with brands' marketing efforts before consumers make purchasing decisions.
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Episode Highlights

  • Engineering Safety

    Pinterest CEO emphasizes the importance of deliberately engineering positive user experiences on tech platforms. He believes that companies should align their decisions with their mission, ensuring that technology platforms foster positive outcomes. Ben reflects on the evolution of tech platforms, noting that positive outcomes must be intentionally designed, rather than assumed.

    If you want positive things to come out of Internet technology, they have to be deliberately engineered that way.

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    This approach is central to Pinterest's mission of providing inspiration for everyday activities, ensuring user well-being through thoughtful content management 1.

       

    Design Ethics

    Design ethics play a crucial role in preventing harmful content and ensuring a positive user experience on platforms like Pinterest. shares how Pinterest initially curated its user base to set a positive example, but scaling to millions of users worldwide presents new challenges. He explains that Pinterest has taken responsibility for the content users encounter, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like medical information.

    We noticed that people were starting to use Pinterest to search for some medical information, and that wasn't the intent of the platform.

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    By integrating credible sources, Pinterest aims to mitigate misinformation and its potential societal impacts 2.

       

    Content Verification

    Content verification is essential for maintaining trust and preventing misinformation on platforms like Pinterest. discusses the Verified Merchant Program, which manually verifies merchants to ensure product quality and reliability. This initiative addresses the growing issue of scams and misleading products, providing users with a trustworthy shopping experience.

    We're verifying all the merchants manually. We're looking at are the products quality? Do they have a track record of shipping?

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    By ensuring that users can trust the merchants and products they encounter, Pinterest enhances user satisfaction and safety 3.

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