There’s no limit to who can use Pinterest or how, but a new study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project shows women still dominate the platform.
A survey of 1,000 American adults found that 19 percent of female Internet users are on Pinterest, compared to just 5 percent of adult men.
In total, 12 percent of Internet using adults said they use Pinterest. But since the Pew study was conducted in early August, when Pinterest exited beta mode and began open registration, the number may be higher now.
According to the Pew study, 12 percent of Internet using adults also use Instagram, though the gender difference was not dramatic.
According to Zoomsphere, a company that tracks Pinterest’s most popular users, only three of the top 20 most influential pinners are male (and five more are brands that appeal to women.)
Founded by two men, Pinterest was intended to be a site for “collections” with no specific gender demographic, President and CEO Ben Silbermann has said. The site has made conscious effort to make men feel equally welcome, for example, making both “Women’s Fashion,” and “Men’s Fashion” into searchable categories.
Photo via Megan Rooney/Pinterest
