NSFW is internet slang standing for Not Safe For Work, used on email, videos and webistes to describe content which may be unsuitable to view at work.
Usually containing profanity, nudity or sexuality, NSFW is commonly used as a warning for users who may not want to be seen accessing such content in public or at work. It is a useful warning to individuals who make personal use of the internet at work or at school – places which usually have policies prohibiting access to such provocative content.
In 2007, Fark.com founder Drew Curtis tried to trademark the term but was unsuccessful in the application.
The use of NSFW has see the rise of the related term SFW, which is an acronym standing for Safe For Work. People use this term to label content which may have questionable titles or subject matter but are, ultimately, safe to view in the workplace.