NSFW: Internet slang you don’t want to ignore

A lot of internet slang falls into the IYKYK category. Failing to recognize an acronym or hashtag might be confusing, but your lack of knowledge probably won’t affect your life in any meaningful way. That is, aside from one crucial caveat: NSFW.

If you’re ever in a situation where your internet browsing might be seen or heard by a co-worker, parent, child, or anyone else with sensitive eyes and ears, knowing the meaning of NSFW could spare you some real-life consequences that literally no one wants to deal with. Unless you have a humiliation kink — in which case, go off, king (but don’t say we didn’t warn you).

What does NSFW mean?

NSFW’s earliest entry in Urban Dictionary, the peer-reviewed, never-ever unreliable etymological resource, dates all the way back to 2003 when the internet was still a Wild West of untamed nastiness.

Merriam-Webster made things officially official in 2015, defining NSFW as an abbreviation for “not safe for work” or “not suitable for work.” For context, 2015 was the same year this (actually reputable) reference added internet terms like meme, WTF, photobomb, and clickbait to its unabridged online dictionary. Ol’ Merry was a little late to the party, but she gets an A for effort!

And just in case these definitions have you saying “ELI5” (aka “explain like I’m five”), the opposite of NSFW is — wait for it, this one will shock you — SFW, aka “safe for work.” Make sense?

This is way too many letters. Let’s move on.

But what is NSFW? A guide for people fuzzy on the meaning of “inappropriate”

First things first: What qualifies as NSFW content is a little bit subjective. A fireable offense at Ch*ck-fil-@ or H*bby L*bby would probably get you a promotion at Grindr HQ.

But even if your co-workers have a raunchy sense of humor and the sensitivity of a moon rock, sharing certain categories of content without consent can qualify as sexual harassment, landing you in hot water with HR and (in some cases) the law.

NSFW’s real purpose, though, isn’t to help you mentally categorize your questionable Slacks to officemates. The abbreviation really comes in clutch when it warns against opening an inappropriate text, email, social media post, or Reddit thread around nosy co-workers.

Here are some types of content that are considered NSFW across the board:

• Images or videos containing nudity: Pretty straightforward. Naked is a no-no at work.
• Suggestive photos: Yes, even if the subjects are technically clothed.
• Vulgar audio files: If the sound turns you on, it’s probably NSFW. This may also cover excessive swearing, depending on how cool your boss is.
• Vulgar videos: If it’s porn or a film erotic enough for an R rating, wait until after hours to hit play.
• Violent content: Sex isn’t the only thing that makes other people squirm.
• Fish microwaved in the breakroom: You might not get fired for this, but it’s an easy way to make a whole floor’s worth of enemies.

You might think you’re safe waiting until you’re in a (hopefully single-stall) bathroom to open dirty pics and videos. But if you use a company-issued phone, we’d recommend waiting to click on anything marked NSFW until you’re outside the office on a personal device.

Even if your company doesn’t monitor the sites you visit, you’re taking a big risk viewing NSFW content at work. Picture this: You queue up the slide deck you’ve worked on for weeks as your boss and colleagues file into the boardroom. You hit the lights, plug into the HDMI, and cries of “Fuck me, Daddy!” fill the air.

So much for those stock options.

NSFW off the clock  

Although the literal definition of NSFW includes the word “work,” adult content is still inappropriate in many non-professional contexts. Your mom, the librarian, and the person sitting one row back on your flight into JFK probably won’t appreciate an involuntary peek at the kinky shit you’re into. Probably.

And again, sex isn’t the only content people find offensive. Some forums on sites like Reddit and 4chan feature such shockingly gruesome videos that they’d be better labeled NSFL — not safe for life.

NSFW doesn’t just apply to online content, either. Everything from the words you speak to the clothes you wear can be NSFW. So save your dirty talk and fetishwear for the club and keep it PG around the general public.

How NSFW disclaimers work

Most content creators and casual users on platforms like Discord, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit know what type of content qualifies as NSFW, and these sites make it easy to hashtag or flag a post to give viewers a content warning before a shocking image fills the screen. Some entire subforums and user profiles are even marked NSFW, meaning it’s safe to assume any posts from that group or user should be viewed with caution.

Unless you’ve chosen to auto-display NSFW content in your settings, these sites will generally blur adult images and videos, forcing you to read a pop-up warning and acknowledge that you’re over 18 before the content gets unblurred. Many websites also auto-detect mature content, marking it as NSFW even if the original poster didn’t apply the label to their post.

Don’t get too comfy, though; you never know when something will slip by the filters, so it’s best to silo your naughty content into a specific profile or incognito browser.

Whether you’re seeing the pop-up on social media or considering opening an email from your best friend with the subject line “My weekend (NSFW),” take a second to consider the setting you’re in and the device you’re using before agreeing to view the message. These warnings may seem annoying when you’re ready to fire up some dirty videos in bed, but they’ll save your ass if you’re in the company of anyone who’s easily offended.

And don’t forget to return the favor; that means tagging any nasty content you send so you don’t cost your hotshot corporate sugar daddy his cushy corner office.