The Internet has created new and complex questions about the permissible use of copyrighted works online and courts have been slow to provide guidance. Pinterest, the latest social media success story, may be the new “it” destination on the web, but it also creates a risk of liability for copyright infringement for nearly every user. The virtual pinboard site adored by millions now ranks as the third-most popular social networking platform, behind Facebook and Twitter.
Launched in beta in March 2010, Pinterest has experienced explosive growth in recent months. Between January and February of this year, the number of Pinterest users shot up by 50 percent from 11.7 million to 17.8 million. Prized among many brand owners, Pinterest drives massive quantities of Internet traffic to retailers such as Martha Stewart, Home & Garden and Whole Foods Market, travel sites such as Travel Channel and Southwest Airlines, and the craft vendors’ marketplace Etsy. Notwithstanding Pinterest’s extraordinary appeal, the platform and the site’s legal fine print appear to be on a collision course.
