Pinterest Experiments With Zoom-Based Online Classes On Its Platform

Pinterest Inc PINS is experimenting with a new feature that explores virtual events including online classrooms, TechCrunch reports. The upgrade to the image sharing and social media app was first brought to light in a tweet by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong.

What Happened: Reportedly, the feature would connect users to a common meeting room through Zoom Video Communications Inc’s ZM video calling app, while Pinterest boards will be available for organizing study materials and other resources. Users can also interact using a group chat option.

Wong shared the names of a few demo Pinterest profiles with a Class Communities section. Wong remarks that “these communities are empty when you click through. That’s because the feature is still unreleased.”

“We are experimenting with ways to help creators interact more closely with their audience,” a Pinterest spokesperson told TechCrunch. The company hasn't yet made any official statement about Wong’s discovery of the latest feature.

Why Does It Matter: There are speculations that users will have access to tools for organizing course materials, including community interaction functionalities like group chat and shopping.

The move seems to be motivated by Pinterest’s popularity as a learning resource organizer during the pandemic, TechCrunch noted. Pinterest reported a monthly active userbase of 442 million, in its latest quarter.

In September, Pinterest released a beta version of Story Pins – a video feed similar to Facebook Inc’s FB Facebook and Instagram Stories and  Snap Inc’s SNAP Snapchat, according to CNBC. Last week, Twitter Inc TWTR too announced a global rollout of a similar feature called Fleets.

Price Action: After a 2.60% drop in Tuesday’s regular trading hours, PINS dipped an additional 0.52% in the after-hours at $63.70.