Horror as man is sent gruesome Pinterest pics of 9/11 victims after image sharing site sent out automatic ‘what’s trending’ email alert
Unsolicited email containing horror snaps is based on what it thinks users would find interesting
A MAN was left horrified after receiving an email alert from a popular photo sharing app showing gruesome pictures of 9/11 victims.
Pinterest sent John Malone the 'what's trending now' mail based on pictures it thinks users would be interested in.
But appallingly the unsolicited message contained graphic images of people killed in the Twin Towers attacks 15 years ago.
Under the the heading "Explore this week's trending searches", the top set of results was titled "9/11 jumpers".
It contained grisly images of crushed and dismembered bodies -- including of victims who had jumped from the top of the World Trade Centre buildings.
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In one chilling picture a man's internal organs can be seen strewn across the pavement from the impact after his desperate jump from the towering inferno.
Film editor John, 30, from London, said he was left shocked after the email appeared on his smartphone while he was at work.
"I couldn't believe what I was seeing", he told The Sun Online.
"I get these kinds of emails all the time, but I have never received anything like this."
Photographs of clothes were also among the selection of grim pics as the app's software seemed to be confused by the word "jumpers".
Pinterest bases the alerts on globally trending searches mixed with user preferences to encourage people to log on.
But John insisted he would never have searched for anything so disturbing.
"It made me feel sick", he continued. "Just think if this had been sent to someone younger.
"Pinterest were trying to get me to use them again after a few weeks of being away -- but I definitely won't be going near the app again".
After complaining to the US-based app, Pinterest replied two days later to apologise.
A spokesperson said it was "totally understandable why this would be upsetting".
They said that other users had reported receiving similar emails and that a block has been put up to prevent it from happening in future.
A Pinterest spokesperson said: "We sent an email featuring a trending search of 9/11 victims.
"The email was generated automatically by our algorithms and was a mistake we deeply regret.
"We want apologise to anyone who received the email and we commit to improving our systems."
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