Internet jargon is varied. In fact, it is also changing because new terms come out every so often. And other old ones last for a long time, as is the case with NSFW. Its meaning is not easy to understand for many, that is why they end up searching the search engine to clarify what your son, nephew, grandson or any teenager has just sent or told you.
Do you know what NSFW means? And when should it be used? Don't worry, we're going to give you the keys right now.
NSFW: the meaning of these acronyms
We have to start by saying that you are dealing with something that is already many years old. Although young people still use it and think it is modern, the truth is that it is not. He is actually at least 30 years old or older.
Its origin comes from forums, IRC, blogs or websites that had to warn readers that the content they shared with them was not suitable to be opened in a certain place, such as the work, because it contained something "sensitive, violent, sexual, offensive or bloody." And of course, it was not a matter of seeing him at that moment.
But what does it mean? NSFW means Not Safe/Suitable For Work, which, translated, means that it is not safe/appropriate for the job.
With theseand identify the content that should not be seen if you were at work since it could expose you to co-workers or even your own boss.
At present these acronyms are still used and it is even "of good education" when you know you are going to send something that is not appropriate that it be seen in a public place (not only at work but in case you go on the subway or the bus, on a train, on a plane...).
The Origin of NSFW
Now that you know what NSFW means, how about we tell you what its origin was? It is actually quite a curious story and it will surely catch your attention because At first it had nothing to do with it.
For that, we have to go back to 1998. XNUMXth century. And also in a forum, called snopes.com (no, sorry, but if you go to that url now you will get a page with news and others. Although you have the possibility of becoming a member with what may continue to act as a forum but modernized).
The fact is that in that year and in that forum, a woman wrote to users complaining that they used NFBSK to label inappropriate content. Why was she complaining? Because it was "Not for British school kids", or what is the same "it is not for British school kids".
Obviously, from a complaint it became a joke. Everyone used it as a joke in the photo and they even opened a special section on that forum titled NFBSK.
Over time, what the administrators did was to change the fact that it was content not suitable for British children. Its result was to get into the jobs, hence NSFW.
Other abbreviations that are also used
In addition to NSFW, being subjective what is sent, many people use other acronyms which come to mean the same thing, and which are:
- PNSFW: "Possibly not safe/suitable for work", "possibly not safe/suitable for work".
- LSFW: «Less safe/suitable for work», «less safe/suitable for work».
Perhaps over time it will evolve and continue to change, but what is its base, what it is for, has been there for more than twenty years.
How to use the acronym NSFW
After knowing the meaning of NSFW, you may be considering using it in real life, for example when sending an email or forwarding a WhatsApp message. Y The truth is that it is not a bad idea.
In fact, the main premise that you must take into account to use it is that, when you want to send a video, an image, an email, a message... that is risqué (be it sexual, bloody, morbid, etc.) send it with a subject or with the acronym NSFW so that the other person understands that it is not something you should see "in public", but that you have to do it privately.
Of course, if it is one of the first times that you are going to send it to a person, first of all you should make sure he knows exactly what it means, because if you don't know, no matter how much you use these acronyms, the other person may ignore them thinking that you have typed a mistake and not realizing that you are sending them a "message". And that means that it is capable of opening it in any environment where it is, which is a risk to take into account.
If you already know the meaning of NSFW, and you know how to use it, from now on you have no excuse to put it whenever you are going to send an image, video, etc. that it should not be displayed in public but wait until that person is alone and in a private place. Has it ever happened to you?