Photo-sharing website Pinterest has been a rising star in the social media world in recent months, garnering significant interest from curious users and technology industry observers. But as the site continues to grow in popularity, it may soon face an unavoidable question pertaining to copyright management.

According to the MIT Technology Review, the site has been able to claim "safe harbor" under provisions in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and has essentially shifted the burden of intellectual property management to Pinterest users and original content creators. Website administrators have established a system for flagging potentially infringing content, but it is up to third parties to set this process in motion.

However, as more businesses incorporate the site into their marketing campaigns, pressure to provide more thorough intellectual property reporting could be on tap.

Experts insist that continued growth will inspire a deeper examination and possible reform of Pinterest's copyright management policies. According to the Verge, YouTube's overwhelming popularity forced it to develop an aggressive content takedown policy to remain in compliance with DMCA standards. Similar moves from Pinterest, however, could be disruptive to the company's fundamental business model of fast, simple and free sharing.