NSFW is a warning that indicates a link to a webpage, video, photo, or audio clip contains inappropriate content. Although the word is usually associated with pornography, it’s often used as a warning label for violent, foul, offensive, or even politically charged content.
Despite its literal meaning (not safe for work), the NSFW acronym is used to save you from
any kind of public embarrassment (or, you know, from traumatizing your kids). You may see it in the title of a YouTube video, in the header of an email, or before an outgoing link on a website or news article.
In some cases, NSFW is used to indicate that a webpage may make
you uncomfortable—that’s how broad of a word we’re dealing with. In these situations, NSFW is sometimes accompanied by a “trigger word” or “TW” label. A video that contains detailed images of war, for example, may be labeled “NSFW TW: War,” or something to that effect.