Pinterest wants to remind you to be kind online

Pinterest said Wednesday it's releasing new guidelines and tools to moderate comments, including a "positivity reminder" if a user is about to post a hurtful or offensive remark. 

The introduction of the new features and guidelines, known as the Creator Code, highlights how social media platforms are responding to criticism that they're not doing enough to curb online bullying, abuse and harassment.

"In a time when the story about technology companies is so often that they behave in ways that appear inhumane, Pinterest, as always, is committed to building a human-centric technology company," said Evan Sharp, co-founder and chief design and creative officer of Pinterest, at a virtual event on Wednesday.

Users will be required to agree to the Creator Code before they post a Story Pin, a tool that allows users to post a series of photos and videos that include text, music or voiceovers. The code outlines rules such as being kind, checking facts and practicing inclusion.

Pinterest, which has more than 450 million users around the world, has been under fire over allegations of discrimination in the workplace. In 2020, the company settled a gender discrimination lawsuit for $22.5 million. Two former Pinterest employees, both Black women, also said last year they faced racial discrimination and were underpaid at the company.

As part of its diversity efforts, the company launched a fund aimed at helping creators from underrepresented US communities, providing them with training, consulting and financial support.

"We're not always perfect, but we always care and we back up our care with action," Sharp said.

The image-sharing site also said it's introducing new tools that allows creators to filter out keywords in comments and remove comments. They can also showcase positive remarks by featuring three comments on their comment feed.