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Pinterest updates privacy policy

Lauren Kate Rawlins
By Lauren Kate Rawlins, ITWeb digital and innovation contributor.
Johannesburg, 30 Jun 2015
Pinterest updates its privacy policy and becomes the middle man, holding users' payment details.
Pinterest updates its privacy policy and becomes the middle man, holding users' payment details.

Pinterest will save users' payment details and act as the middle man once it introduces buyable pins, which allow for external purchases to be made via the site.

Earlier this month, Pinterest announced it would enter the social commerce space by allowing users to make purchases in the platform without being directed to a separate e-business site.

As part of its move to buyable pins, the site will update its privacy policy, explaining to users in an e-mail: "When you buy something on Pinterest, you'll need to share some payment and contact info with us so that we can complete your order.

"We'll save this info so you don't have to type it in next time you make a purchase. We'll also share this info with the seller, and they'll treat it as if you bought it from their Web site directly."

Pinterest engineering manager Chao Wang said previously Pinterest has set up security features so no credit card details are stored on the actual site. "We're working with payment processors who've been protecting people's information for years."

Pinterest also noted in the e-mail it would work on making the promoted pins feature more relevant. This will be done by showing users promoted pins that match, or go with, something they have recently purchased.

This option can be turned off in the settings if users prefer not to see related, promoted, items.

The buyable pins will only be available through the Pinterest iOS app in the US. The company says it will bring the features to Android and desktop in future releases. No mention was made of when these features will be rolled out internationally.

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