The social media keep evolving and in an attempt to keep up with the pace of communication, a new slang is introduced on a regular basis. It is possible to look through a teenager’s phone and examine his or her chat without having a full understanding of what is being communicated.

The most popular acronym is LOL, which means ‘laughing out loud’. It is sometimes even a default response during a chat when the other party is not sure of what to say.

Social media and instant messaging are about speed and timing. The instantaneous nature is what continues to keep pressure on users to compress phrases and words into shorter codes. It is also a way to put the older generation ― should they decide to snoop around ― in the dark.

The challenge, however, is how these abbreviations are beginning to interfere with with formal communication. With the habit formed over a period, it does not take long to imagine that all other chats and communications are also informal.

Here is a list of acronyms compiled to help any social media newbie unpack and understand the language of the social media environment.

#FBF: Flash-back Friday

#FF: Follow Friday

#TBT: Throw-back Thursday

(L)MIRL: Let’s meet in real life

53X: Sex

AFAIK: As far as I know

AMA: Ask me anything

AWOL: Away while online

BD: Big deal

BF: Boyfriend
BFF: Best friend forever
BFN: Bye for now
BRB: Be right back
BTW: By the way
CC: Carbon copy
CD9 -Parents around/code 9
CU: See you
CX: Correction
CYL: Catch you later
DM: Direct message
FB: Facebook
FOMO: Fear of missing out
FTFY: Fixed this for you
FWIW: For what it’s worth
FYE: For your entertainment
FYI: For your information
GF: Girlfriend
GTG: Got to go
GTI: Going through it
HBD: Happy birthday
HML: Happy married life
HMU: Hit me up
HT or H/T: Hat tip (away of crediting or attributing something you’re posting to someone else)
HTH: Happy to help
IC: I see
ICYMI: In case you missed it
ICYWW: In case you were wondering
IDC: I don’t care
IDK: I don’t know
TBH: To be honest
IDK: I don’t know
IG or Insta: Instagram
IIRC: If I remember correctly
ILY: I love you
IM: Instant message
IMHO: In my honest opinion
IMO: In my opinion
IRL: In real life
Jellz: Jealous
JK: Just kidding
JSYK: Just so you know
KK: Cool, okay (kewl kewl)
KMP: Keep me posted
KOTL- Kiss on the lips
KYP: Keep you posted
L8- Late
LI- LinkedIn
LMAO: Laughing my a** off
LMK- Let me know
LMS: Like my status
MT – Modified tweet
MYOB: Mind your own business
NBC: Nobody cares though
NBD: No big deal
NM: Not much
NTS: Note to self
NTW: Not to worry
QOTD: Quote of the day
NVM: Never mind
Obv or Obvi: Obviously
OH: Overheard
OMG: Oh my god
OMW: On my way
ORLY- Oh really?!!
PDA: Public display of affection
PIR: Parent in room
PITA: Pain in the Ass
Pls or Plz: Please
POIDH: Pictures or it didn’t happen
POS: Parent over shoulder
POTD: Photo of the day
PPL: People
PRT: Partial retweet
PSA: Public service announcement
Q or QQ: Question or quick question
RLY: Really
RN: Right now
ROFL: Rolling on the Floor Laughing
ROFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my a** off
RT- Retweet
SMFH: Shaking my f***ing head
SMH: Shaking my head
SO or S/O: Shout out
SRLSY: Seriously
STFU: Shut the f— up
SYS: See you soon
TBH: To be honest
TBT: Throwback Thursday
TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday
Thx or Tx: Thanks
TL;DR: Too long; didn’t read
TMI: Too much information
TTYL: Talk to you later
TTYS: Talk to you soon
TTYN: Talk to you never
TWD- Texting while driving
Txt: Text
TY: Thank you
TYT: Take your time
TYVM: Thank you very much
WTTP – Want to trade pictures?
YGTR: You got that right
YOLO: You only live once
YT- YouTube
YW: You’re welcome
This list is in no way exhaustive. Emoticons (emotion icons) are also fast replacing some of these acronyms. Since society is not static, the expectation is that some of these abbreviations will fade away and new ones will replace them. What will certainly not fade away is the urge and need to communicate.

http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/social-media-acronyms-you-should-know/