What is the _pinterest_ct_ua cookie?
_pinterest_ct_ua belongs to the „_pinterest_ct_*” family of cookies Pinterest uses for conversion tracking and behavioral analysis on sites that have installed the Pinterest Tag (a tracking script comparable to the Facebook Pixel or Google Ads Tag).
It appears on a site when the site owner has installed the Pinterest Tag to measure conversions coming from Pinterest Ads or organic Pins, or when a visitor interacts with a „Pin it” button or an embedded Pinterest widget on the page.
What data it stores
The cookie typically stores a unique identifier tied to the visitor's session or browser, which Pinterest uses to link a visit on the third-party site back to a Pinterest account or advertising profile. Pinterest does not publicly document the exact value format.
The collected data is sent to Pinterest's servers, where it is used for conversion attribution and, depending on the business account's settings, to personalize ads later shown to that user.
What it is used for
For Pinterest, the cookie helps measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns (how many conversions on a site originate from a specific ad or Pin) and helps build retargeting audiences.
For the site owner, the cookie provides reporting on Pinterest Ads campaign performance and can help optimize marketing spend on the platform.
Does it require consent?
_pinterest_ct_ua is classified as a marketing cookie (advertising/tracking), used for profiling and cross-session conversion attribution.
- Under the GDPR (Regulation 2016/679) and Romania's Law 506/2004 (transposing the ePrivacy Directive), prior consent from the visitor is required before this cookie is set.
- The site owner must list it in the cookie policy under the marketing category and must block the Pinterest Tag script until consent is obtained.
- ANSPDCP (the Romanian data protection authority) can sanction placing this type of cookie without valid consent collected before the script loads.
How to block or delete _pinterest_ct_ua
A visitor can delete or block this cookie via browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — cookies and site data section), or use private/incognito browsing. Ad-tracker blocking extensions can also prevent it from being set.
A site owner should not let the Pinterest Tag run freely on page load. A tool like CookieFix automatically blocks marketing scripts, including the Pinterest Tag, until the visitor gives explicit consent, helping meet GDPR/ePrivacy requirements.
Frequently asked questions
No, it doesn't contain sensitive data or malware; it's a standard advertising tracking cookie, similar to those used by Facebook or Google.
It is set by Pinterest, usually through the Pinterest Tag script installed on a third-party site by that site's owner, not directly when visiting pinterest.com.
Yes, as a marketing/tracking cookie, the GDPR and Law 506/2004 require the visitor's prior consent before it is set.
It typically lasts around 1 year, after which it expires automatically unless renewed by a new visit.