# Security & Privacy Scorecard

## Pinterest

**Version:** 14.3.0 | **Platform:** Android | **Analyzed:** 2026-02-03

## What This Means for You

User activity, interests, and browsing are shared with Facebook, Google Ads, and AppsFlyer to build an ad profile and target users across the web. Firebase and Bugsnag collect usage and crash data. User data touches multiple third-party platforms each time the app is used.

## Recommendation: Use With Caution

**Best For:** Visual inspiration browsing with standard ad tracking
**Avoid If:** You want to limit ad targeting based on your interests

## Key Findings

**Data Security** - 1 finding (1 critical)

**Network Security** - 4 findings (2 high, 2 medium)

**Code Safety** - 0 findings

**Privacy** - 3 findings (1 critical, 1 high, 1 medium)

## Privacy Concerns

### What Data is Collected

Pinterest collects user browsing activity, saved pins, search history, and interaction patterns. This data builds a detailed profile of user interests and preferences that persists across sessions and informs how users are targeted by advertisers.

### Third-Party Data Sharing

User data is shared with the following third-party platforms:

- **Facebook SDK** - Shares behavioral and interest data for cross-platform ad targeting
- **Google Ads SDK** - Shares user activity to serve and measure targeted advertising
- **AppsFlyer** - Tracks in-app actions and attribution for marketing campaigns
- **Firebase Analytics** - Collects usage patterns and session data
- **Bugsnag** - Receives crash reports and device diagnostics
- **LINE SDK** - Enables social sharing with data transfer to LINE's platform
- **Eclipse Paho MQTT** - Handles real-time messaging with data routed through an external broker

## Understanding the Scores

| Category | Score |
|----------|-------|
| Security | 82/100 |
| Privacy | 75/100 |
| Data Security | 70/100 |
| Network Security | 85/100 |
| Code Safety | 88/100 |
| Data Collection | 78/100 |
| Data Sharing | 80/100 |
| User Control | 75/100 |

## Positive Security Features

- Integrates Google Tink, a well-audited cryptographic library, for protecting sensitive data operations
- Uses Bugsnag for real-time crash monitoring, supporting app stability and issue detection
- Employs AWS SDK with established cloud infrastructure security practices

## Areas for Improvement

- **Stronger on-device data protection** is needed: at least one area where sensitive information is stored on the device does not meet adequate security standards
- **More consistent network security**: some data sent from the app uses weaker transmission settings and may travel with less protection than expected on public Wi-Fi
- **Clearer ad tracking controls**: user interest and behavioral data flows to multiple advertising platforms, with limited in-app options to restrict or opt out of that sharing

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## About This Analysis

This scorecard reflects the security and privacy posture of the app at the time of analysis. Scores are based on examination of the app's code, configuration, and third-party integrations. Higher scores indicate stronger practices; lower scores indicate areas where user data or the device may be at greater risk.

### App Details

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| App Name | Pinterest |
| Package ID | com.pinterest |
| Version | 14.3.0 |
| Platform | Android |
| Scan Date | 2026-02-03 |
