Do you know what your kids are saying online?

We all know that slang is an integral part of growing up. It helps teenagers define their place in the world and keep parents in the dark! Teenagers have a myriad of online channels to use, and their language is evolving all the time.

When kids are texting terms like ‘yeet’ and ‘geekin’, what are they saying?

Safer Internet Day is a time to reflect about whether we know if our kids are safe with words they are using online, and whether they are showing respect to others.

Goodbye FOMO, hello A3

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and LOL (Laugh Out Loud) are terms that a lot of us know, but new words and phrases are emerging all the time. Many of these new terms are funny and harmless, but some can be offensive and abusive.

This Safer Internet Day, make it your priority to take teen slang seriously and be mindful of terms that your kids may be using online.

Words and acronyms some teenagers are using:

A3: Anytime, anywhere, any place

CD9, Code 9: Parents are around

Curve: to reject someone romantically

Fam: a very good friend, like family

F2F: Face to Face—an offer to meet in person or have a video chat

Geekin: to laugh too hard and too loud—often due to drug/alcohol use

Hawt: very attractive

KMS: Kill My Self, usually used in a funny/sarcastic way

KOTL: Kiss On The Lips

LMIRL: Let’s Meet In Real Life

MOS, POS: Mum/Parents over shoulder

Pharming: searching other people’s medicine cabinets for drugs to get high on

Ship: abbreviation for relationship

Sugarpic: erotic, nude or suggestive images sent online

TDTM: Talk Dirty To Me

Thirsty: desperate, impatient or too eager for something

Tweaking: high on amphetamines

WTTP: Want To Trade Pictures?

Yayo: cocaine

Yeet: an extremely expressive word to express excitement.

We encourage parents to always have open communication with kids about online behaviour.

For more information on Safer Internet Day 2018 or eSafety resources, visit the Office of the eSafety Commissioner website.