What is Algospeak? The Words Teens Use to Outsmart Algorithms

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Learn what popular Algospeak terms really mean
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Have you ever heard of "algospeak?" It's a linguistic phenomenon that has risen over the past few years on social media. Algospeak is when someone replaces all or part of a word with other letters, symbols, or even emojis to bypass content restrictions online (typically on TikTok). If you use social media a lot, you've probably come across algospeak before. In this article, we'll teach you what algospeak is and provide examples, including their meanings. Read on to learn more!

Examples of Algospeak

  • One of the most common algospeak terms is "unalive," which can be used as a verb to replace "kill" or as an adjective to replace "dead."
  • Other terms include "clock app," which means "TikTok," "yt," which means "white," and "panini," which means "COVID-19 pandemic."
  • Algospeak can help you get around content restrictions, but it can be hard for others to understand.
Section 1 of 4:

What is algospeak?

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  1. Algospeak is a portmanteau of the words "algorithm" and "speak." It's used to bypass filtering or censorship on certain algorithms—especially on social media sites like TikTok, but it's used in other places as well. [1]
    • Algospeak is typically used to replace words that might be seen as vulgar, sensitive, or inappropriate.
    • Algospeak has started to transition from the internet to daily usage offline. [2]
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Section 2 of 4:

Algospeak Examples

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  1. Algospeak terms will sometimes replace words with emojis, replace letters in words with symbols or other letters, or replace the entire word with a different word entirely. Here are some of the more common algospeak terms you might see:
    • a$$a$$ination: assassination
    • accountant: sex worker
    • acoustic: autistic
    • ahh: ass
    • auti$m: autism
    • baker: drug dealer
    • barcode: self-harm scars
    • birdsite: Twitter/X
    • bl00d: blood
    • blink in lio: link in bio
    • blk: Black
    • camping: abortion
    • Cheeto: Donald Trump
    • clock app: TikTok
    • corn: porn
    • cornocopia: homophobia
    • cue anon: QAnon
    • dance party: unvaccinated groups
    • depressi0n: depression
    • dinner party: unvaccinated groups
    • ED: eating disorder
    • g@y: gay
    • glorp: vomit
    • Kermit sewer slide: commit suicide
    • le dollar bean: lesbian
    • le$bean: lesbian
    • leg booty: LGBTQ+ community
    • mascara: boyfriend
    • music festival: protest
    • neurospicy: neurodivergent
    • nip nops: nipples
    • not see: Nazi
    • opposite of love: hate
    • oui'd: weed
    • Panda Express: COVID-19 pandemic
    • panini: COVID-19 pandemic
    • panorama: COVID-19 pandemic
    • PDF: pedophile
    • pew pew: gun
    • s🥚sy: sexy
    • SA: sexual assault
    • seggs : sex
    • seggsy: sexy
    • sewer slide: suicide
    • SH: self-harm
    • skripper: stripper
    • spicy: sexy
    • SSA: same-sex attraction
    • SW: sex worker
    • the vid: COVID-19
    • tism: autism
    • unalive: kill, dead
    • yt: White
    • @b0rt!on: abortion
    • 🌻: Ukraine
    • 🌽: porn
    • 🍉: Palestine
    • 💀: kill
    • 💅: gay
    • ❄️: cocaine
Section 3 of 4:

Why & When to Use Algospeak

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  1. Algospeak is helpful if you notice that your content is being censored or filtered online when you try to talk about sensitive topics. Whether you are a content creator or just leaving a comment, you can use algospeak to get around strict content filters.
    • The downside to using algospeak is that sometimes, other people may not understand what you mean. This can lead to misunderstandings when one person doesn't know the obscured meaning of an algospeak term. [3]
    • Algospeak can be difficult for people who don't speak English to understand, but the meanings are slowly working their way across the globe to become more universally understood. [4]
    • Algospeak can make it difficult for people who use assistive devices (like screen readers) to go online, especially if the algospeak contains emojis.
    • Some creators have said that algospeak makes them feel less authentic, as they have to completely adjust the way they speak to avoid being censored by the algorithm. [5]
    • Algospeak critics worry that it can desensitize people to serious topics like death, suicide, violence, and assault because it dilutes and trivializes the meaning of the words. [6]
  2. Whenever you're talking about something online that could be seen as vulgar, sensitive, or taboo, regardless of the context. However, make sure to keep your audience in mind, as some people may not understand algospeak.
    • Algospeak is commonly used to discuss comprehensive sexuality education, reproductive healthcare, gender-based violence, and LGBTQIA+ topics (though this list is not exhaustive). [7]
    • However, algospeak is also used by groups that promote harmful behaviors (such as anti-vaccination, eating disorders, and child abuse) so they can avoid detection and removal.
    • When talking to others offline, use the actual words (like "died" instead of "unalived.") Using algospeak offline may come off as insincere, insensitive, or unprofessional.
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Section 4 of 4:

More Algospeak Resources

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  1. 1
    List of Algospeak Examples Since algospeak is a current linguistic phenomenon, it's constantly changing and being added to. However, Carnegie Mellon TikTok researcher Daniel Klug has compiled an expansive list of algospeak terms that are often used across the internet. It's a great resource to learn what an algospeak term means. [8]
  2. 2
    The AlgoSpeak Dictionary The AlgoSpeak Dictionary doesn't have as many terms as some other resources online, but more are added often. You can also submit your own algospeak terms with their definitions.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.algospeak.net/what-is-algospeak
      2. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2025/07/20/nx-s1-5261011/adam-aleksic-discusses-algospeak-and-how-social-media-is-changing-how-we-talk
      3. ↑ https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/mascara-trend-tiktok-sexual-assault
      4. ↑ https://www.klicksafe.eu/en/news/algospeak-was-bedeuten-die-codes-und-emojis-auf-tiktok-und-co
      5. ↑ https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3543873.3587355
      6. ↑ https://www.3cl.org/algospeak
      7. ↑ https://www.algospeak.net/suppression
      8. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/This-is-the-List-of-Algospeak-Examples-We-Compiled-From-Websites-and-Social-Media-in_tbl1_374413909

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