The secret words kids are using online that YOU need to know about
Police have issued a list of 228 codewords children are using to talk secretly online on issues such as eating disorders and bullying.
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Nottinghamshire Police has revealed a list of 228 words, hashtags and acronyms children are using online that could indicate that they're discussing self-harm, eating disorders, bullying or drug-taking.
The force divided the list into three categories:
1. Warning flags - phrases which imply they are involved in some activities which would be cause for concern.
2. Terms to keep an eye on - they might be slightly concerning but, in context, they're generally harmless.
3. Fun - these are terms which are just slang or abbreviations with no concerning connotations, but have been compiled into a list so parents don't get confused between what's potentially dangerous and what's not.
Words to look out for include cryptic phrases like CD9, GNOC and 'zerg'.
1. Warning flags
#ana - anorexia
#deb - depression
#sue - suicide
#svv - self-harming behaviour
#thinsp - thinspiration (photos or messages that inspire an effort to become thin)
9 - a parent is watching
420 - marijuana
ASL - age, sex, location
CD9 - parents are around
Crow - cannabis
CU46 - see you for sex
Daddy - can mean a partner who takes good care of you affectionately or someone with great influence and power over you
Down in the DM - short for plans in their social media or texts for an upcoming sexual hook-up
F2F or FTF - face to face
FWB - friends with benefits
FYEO - for your eyes only
GNOC - get naked on camera
Hooking up - having sex
‘I know a way you can earn money fast’ - a possible way of asking for photos/webcam access or a way to get information to blackmail a young person
‘I know someone who can get you a modelling job’ - a possible way of asking for photos and flattering the young person
IRL - in real life
IWSN - I want sex now
‘Let's go private’ - leave the public chatroom and create a private chat or move to instant-messaging/texting
LMIRL - let's meet in real life
KPC - keep parents clueless
Merked - really drunk or beaten up or getting found out or getting told off
MIRL - meeting in real life
Molly - ecstasy/MDMA
MOOS - member of the opposite sex
MOS - mum over shoulder
Moving to (someone) - approaching, either aggressively or romantically
Netflix 'n Chill - to meet under the pretence of watching Netflix/TV together when actually planning to meet for ‘making out’ or sex
NIFOC - naked in front of computer
NSFL - not safe for life
NSFW - not safe for work
P911 or P999 - parents are watching
POS - parents over shoulder
Pre-ing - pre-drinking
RU/18 - are you over 18?
Sket - insulting term used towards girls
Smash - to have casual sex
Swipe right - term of approval derived from dating app Tinder
Thirsty - being desperate for something
Trolling - fooling someone - often used when people are commenting nasty abuse online
Wavey - drunk or high
‘Where's your computer in your house?’ - possibly a way of checking to see if parents might be around
‘Who/What's your favourite band/designer/film/gear?’ - possibly a way of trying to get to know more so that they can offer gifts
Wired - drug induced paranoia
WYRN - what's your real name?
‘You are the love of my life’ - possibly a way of flattering a young person and creating an emotional bond with them
‘You seem sad. Tell me what's bothering you’ - possibly a way of expressing sympathy and inviting them to share personal information
Zerg - to gang up on someone.
2. Terms to keep an eye on
4eae - for ever and ever
ADN - any day now
AF - as f***
Aired - ignoring someone
‘Are you parring me?’ - are you showing me disrespect?
B - babe (can be just a friend)
Bae - short for ‘baby’ and used as a term of endearment for a significant other such as a boyfriend or girlfriend. Short for ‘before anyone else’
Basic - lacking originality
Begfriend - someone who sucks up to someone else
BFN - bye for now
BOL - be on later
Bookie - weird or disgusting
Booted - left behind or dumped
Butters - ugly person
Bye Felicia - dismissive term when you want an annoying person to go away
Curve - to reject someone romantically
Dime - someone who is extremely good looking
DM - direct message
Ghost - ghosting someone is to completely ignore someone suddenly, usually as a nasty way of breaking up with someone
GLHF - good luck, have fun
HT or H/T- heard through
HAK - hugs and kisses
IANAL - I am not a lawyer
ILY or ILU - I love you
IU2U - it's up to you
IYKWIM - if you know what I mean
J4F - just for fun
JIC - just in case
J/K - just kidding
Kicked - left behind
Low key - a warning that what they're saying isn't something they want everyone to know
NAGI - not a good idea
OH - overheard
PAP - post a picture
Peng or tidy - really attractive
Preeing - looking at someone online (also known as "Facebook stalking")
PTB - please text back
QQ - crying
RL - real life
Salty - to be bitter about something or someone
Ship - relationship or to admire a couple (such as 'I ship them')
Sip tea - to mind your own business
Skurt - go away or leave
Slept - to knock someone out
Slipping - messing up
Stacked - built, really muscly, toned
Swag - confidence or fancy clothes/jewellery
SWAK - sealed with a kiss
SWYP - so what's your problem?
TBR - to be rude
Throw shade - to give someone a nasty look or say something unpleasant about them
TIME - tears in my eyes
TMB - tweet me back
VSF - very sad face
WTH or WTF - what the heck?
WTPA - where's the party at?
WYCM - will you call me?
WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get
YGM - you've got mail
YOLO - you only live once
3. 'Fun' terms:
:3 - a symbol designed to represent a cat face, to be used after saying something cute, odd or coy
2day - today
Acc - actually
AFAIK - as far as I know
AFK - away from keyboard
ATM - at the moment
B4 - before
Baffed - confused
Banter - fun chat
Bare or bear - 'really really'
B/C - because
BF or GF - boyfriend or girlfriend
Blates - obviously
Blessed - nice person
Boots - a way to say 'very' or 'a lot' - it's used after the verb or adjective
BRB - be right back
Bromance - close friendship between two boys
Bruh - a casual nickname for 'bro'
BTW - by the way
Buck me - give me
Buff - attractive
Can't even - an expression of exasperation
CBA - can't be bothered
Cray - crazy
Cuz - friend
Dench - fantastic/cool
Dope - really cool/awesome
DWBH - don't worry be happy
Fail - something goes wrong
Fam - their closest friends
FB - Facebook
Feels - feelings
FF - Follow Friday
Fierce - looking amazing/incredible
FOMO - fear of missing out
FTL - for the loss
FTW - for the win
FWIW - for what it's worth
FYI - for your information
G - a friend (boy to boy)
Gassed - happy
GOAT - greatest of all time
GR8 - great
GTG - got to go
Gucci - something is good or cool
HAND - have a nice day
Hella - really
HTH - hope this helps or happy to help
Hundo P - 100% sure/certain
IDEK - I don't even know
IDK - I don't know
IIRC - if I remember correctly
IK - I know
IKR - I know right?
Ill - fantastic or cool
IMHO - in my honest opinion
IMO - in my opinion
Is everything - great/important
It's lit - it's cool/awesome
I'm weak - that was funny
Jarring - annoying
Jokes - really funny
JSYK - just so you know
K or KK - okay
Legend - someone or something considered very cool
LMAO or LMBO - laughing my butt off
LMK - let me know
Lol - laugh out loud
MM - Music Monday
MSM - mainstream media
NM - never mind
NMU - not much, you?
NP - no problem or now playing
NTS - note to self
Obvi - obviously
OMG - oh my God
On fleek - on point or executed really well
ORLY - oh really?
OTP - the fictional couple you think were meant to be together
Peak - unfortunate
Pls or plz - please
PPL - people
RAK - random act of kindness
ROFL - rolling on the floor laughing
RT - retweet
RUOK - are you okay?
Skl - school
Safe - reliable or good person
SSDD - same stuff, different day
Savage - cool
Sick - fantastic/cool
Slay - doing really well
Squad - their friend group
SMH - shaking my head
Snatched - same as 'on fleek'
SRSLY - seriously
Straight fire - something is hot or trendy
Swear - are you serious?
TBH - to be honest
TIA - thanks in advance
TMI - too much information
TMRW - tomorrow
To be down/pumped for something - excited to do something
Truss - I agree
TTYL - talk to you later
Turnt/turnt up - same as 'lit'
TY or TU - thank you
Ur - your/you're
V - very
YAS - enthusiastic version of yes
You da real MVP - thanks for doing a mundane but important task
YW - you're welcome
Wag1 or wagwan - what's up?
WB - welcome back
Woke - highly aware of social issues
ZOMG - oh my God
The list is known as the 'teen translation tool'.
Nottinghamshire Police said: 'The key message to parents is to talk to their children if they spot any the phrases or language which cause concern.'
SMART rules on internet safety to tell your children
1. SAFE
Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.
2. MEETING
Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.
3. ACCEPTING
Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages!
4. RELIABLE
Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real world friends and family
5. TELL
Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.
Source: Kidsmart.org
Nottinghamshire Police added that the list is not supposed to 'terrify' parents, but is intended to familiarise them with the dangers lurking on social media in order to keep their children safe.
Are you familiar with the words on the list? How do you protect your children from online dangers? Share your thoughts and experiences in the chat thread, below.
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