TW is short for “Trigger Warning”. It is used before any conversation or content that can cause potential distress to the audience. Any content that has violence, abuse or traumatic experiences showcased in it can be saddening. It can affect the mental health of people watching it. Hence, giving a trigger warning before can prevent people from watching such content if they are too sensitive or give them a heads up to prepare them mentally.
These warnings are necessary because not everyone is okay with watching distressing and sensitive content. People on social media might be scrolling and suddenly see a video that might disrupt their mood. This is not an ideal way for social media to run. This is why a trigger warning can help a lot.
For example, social media has a lot of people these days ranging from lawyers to business owners. Doctors are among the people who post on social media. Sometimes, surgeons might share valuable opinions on surgeries through videos and many people are sensitive to this type of content. Instagram has made such content visible only after consenting to it. It shows a trigger warning before showing the video or image. This acknowledges that all people are not the same and respects their mental peace.
Trigger warnings can also be from movies and TV shows. If there are crime scenes, murders and sexual abuse scenes, then there’s likely a trigger warning before the clip plays. This is a necessary measure for people to feel safe and sound on the internet.
Example –
“TW – Murder scene ahead.”
“TW – The content ahead may be sensitive and you might want to mentally prepare yourself before watching it.”
“I think that TW is something that saves us from so many things that we most likely would not want to see. After all, we cannot unsee things once we have seen them.”
Other social media terms –