What is NSFW? The full low-down | Avira blog (2024)

KUWTK, AGT, the list goes on. There are many shows on commercial TV that the media now often refer to by their abbreviated forms — something that happens in the online gamer scene, where it probably all started.

Read on to learn what NFSW means and what the significance of this abbreviation is for individual social media channels.

What does NSFW mean?

NSFW stands for “not safe for work” or “not suitable for work”. You may have already seen this term on social media before.

The abbreviation NSFW is intended to help you tell quickly and easily that a particular post should not be viewed during working hours or on your work computer.

What does NSFW cover?

A post or email attachment marked NSFW can include images, audio files, as well as videos that have been shared on Facebook or other social media platforms. Mostly it flags suggestive pictures, a lot of nudity, or adult, vulgar, or violent content.

In apps such as Reddit, various areas or channels are marked as NSFW and you can also enter #NSFW on Twitter to call up posts that are unsuitable for viewing at work.

NSFW content is often not displayed directly on websites but only appears once clicked. By providing this warning, providers are preparing you for what’s about to hit your screen so you’re aware.

Why is it called NSFW?

Originally used mainly on internet forums and chat services, the abbreviation NSFW has become more commonplace now. As a result, the designation NSFW is now considered universal for flagging content that you’re better off not consuming at work.

From a linguistic point of view, NSFW is what’s known as an acronym — a word formed from the initial letters of other words. As you can imagine, there are bucket loads of acronyms in use nowadays. If you’re interested, check out this list of internet slang.

What does NSFW mean on Discord, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Tinder?

Discord is an online service for instant messaging, chat as well as voice and video conferencing and is considered a trailblazer in instant messaging solutions. This service was originally created for computer gamers so they could exchange potential strategies quickly while concentrating on the game. And because speed in coordination is crucial for success in executing joint strategies, acronyms took hold in the gaming scene where gamers could communicate entire sentences in a matter of letters.

Now, such instant messaging services are also built in to other online portals’ services to get us to engage with others directly. There, just like on social networks, the use of acronyms is commonplace.

Hashtagging or flagging a post with NSFW often serves as a content warning, urging you to use discretion or avoid the post while in a professional or public setting. That’s because viewing or exchanging intimate pictures or videos — especially via Tinder — can be borderline dangerous during working hours and on public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Just like on TikTok, Twitter, or on YouTube, in most cases NSFW posts are not displayed right away. Instead, you must first click the post in question to view it.

How can you protect yourself from NSFW?

The easiest way to protect yourself from NSFW content is to avoid clicking posts marked as NSFW in the first place. But we’re only human, and we’re more likely to give in to temptation than make a common-sense decision — which is why we tend not to think about the embarrassment it might cause us.

However, if you do view NSFW content at work or when using public Wi-Fi hotspots, this can not only be embarrassing but also risky.

• In many cases, publishers distribute their NSFW content via systems that are not particularly well secured, making it easy for cybercriminals to exploit security flaws and get hold of your data.
• Your employer’s probably got you to sign up to abide by standards in your employment contract when using the internet at work and on the company computer — something you follow to the letter, of course. You also likely know that IT managers (have to) also track your internet activities in certain cases, for example when they receive a security warning.

A VPN can help you better protect your online privacy when consuming NSFW content

Downloading a free VPN (short for virtual private network) can help you better protect your online privacy — a big plus-point when viewing NSFW content.

Thanks to the end-to-end encryption technologies used in reputable VPN solutions, the tracking of your online activities can be restricted or even prevented — minimizing the opportunities for cybercriminals to intercept and decrypt your data.

Avira Phantom VPN is one such reputable VPNthat allows you to surf anonymously — even using the free version. Avira Phantom VPN can help you organize how you manage what you do online and better protect your online privacy on the internet — up to a data volume of 500 MB per month with the free version and no data limit with the premium version.