Lab mice have been used for almost a century to test new drugs, study the impacts of specific environments on the body and improve the medical field. But, those mice don’t have the same immunities as humans and are raised in sterile environments. Scientists have recently started using wild mice to better recreate the immune systems of humans for more accurate results.
Secret language kids are using
Think about this: Kids today have never known life without the internet, haven’t lived without a cell phone, and have replaced passing notes in class with texting. It’s a part of life that many parents and grandparents are still trying to catch up to.
But one thing hasn’t changed, trying to outsmart parents and grandparents. Decades ago, that came in the form of code words or code language that only you and your friends understood (although I bet your parents were onto you anyway).
Technology has made it a little more difficult for parents to “break the code”, and teens are getting crafty with acronyms and “code” words. Some of them are harmless, others are offensive, and some could be downright dangerous. So it’s important for you to understand what your teens are talking about.
What exactly is teen slang?
When it comes to teen slang, you can pretty much break it all up into different categories. There is overall slang, which covers a lot, as well as specialized slang for things like relationships and everything that happens online.
It can all be confusing and even cringe-inducing, but it is a way of life and communication for the younger generation and therefore it would behoove us all to know what it means.
With that in mind, here is a breakdown.
Relationships
There is a general theme when it comes to slang for teen relationships, and chances are you can guess what it is. These are ones you need to watch for and talk to your kids about, especially the ones looking for suggestive photos.
53X = Sex
A/S/L = Age, sex and location
Bae = “Before Anyone Else”
IWSN = I want sex now
Curve = To reject someone
Dime = Attractive person (a perfect 10)
Netflix and Chill = Sex
Sugarpic = Erotic or suggestive picture
NIFOC = Naked in Front of Computer
General terms
Of course, teens have a way to alert friends when parents are around, you know they’re all abut having privacy. But some of the next terms can also be dangerous and hiding messaging about drugs.
9 = Parents around
99 = Parents are gone
Basic = Plain
DOC = Drug of Choice
GOAT = Greatest Of All Time
Cyph = Smoke marijuana
Throw shade = Talk trash to someone
PIR = Parent in the Room
POS = Parent Over Shoulder
1174 = Place to meet for a party
Social media terms
Much of the adapted ways of communication exist because of social media, so it should come as little surprise that there are shortened terms specifically related to online occurrences.
Dox = Unearth and publish a person’s information such as name, phone number, address, etc.
Subtweet = To tweet about someone, usually negatively, without naming or tagging them.
Cook Session = When a group of kids gang up on another kid via social media.
TBH = To Be Honest
TBN = To Be Negative
Making sense of it all
Much of this may seem confusing, if not frustrating, as you read through it. Add to that, the fact that it changes constantly and you need to continuously be “in the know”. But knowledge is power, right?
Every generation has its own set of slang and unique terms that are not really meant to be understood by those who came before them. The important thing is to be able to distinguish what’s just teens being teens, and what’s potentially dangerous.
If you use Facebook Messenger then yes, you are being tracked
From leaked internal memos to outdated privacy settings, Facebook is currently in damage control mode, hoping for the day that all the punches and kicks will just go away. Unfortunately for the company, today is not that day. Nope. Not yet. Click here to see why.
Parents need to know the secret codes on Instagram and Snapchat to deal drugs
Do you have a teen in your family? As you know, they’re addicted to their smartphones. That’s why you need to be aware of these secret codes teens use to buy drugs on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat! Are your kids buying illegal substances right under your nose?
Why scientists are turning to wild mice
Fake Viagra is not a good thing
Open/download audioBuying drugs online without a prescription is just a bad idea in general. Fake drugs can make you sick. Or, as is the case with Viagra, you’ll get more than you bargained for.
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💊 Killer online pharmacies: Cybercriminals set up online pharmacies selling counterfeit pills disguised as prescription drugs. Adderall, Xanax and oxycodone knockoffs were laced with deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl. At least nine people have died. Please, please stick to real pharmacies for all your medications.
183% increase
In phony Ozempic scams over the past four months. Look out for social media posts offering weight loss drugs at a steep discount or without a prescription. These aren’t real doctors (paywall link); they’re a phishing scam.
His password is 1Forrest1: Tom Hanks is warning fans about online ads promoting “miracle cures and wonder drugs” using an AI-generated Tom. The vids are fakes, of course, created without his permission. This isn’t the first time scammers have stolen Tom’s voice; last October, a deepfaked Hanks was promoting a dental plan online.
Oh, no, Ozempic: Counterfeit versions of semaglutide weight-loss drugs are easy to find online. Researchers got their hands on three. Of those, the dosages didn’t match the labels, and one was contaminated with bacteria. Btw, three other sites scammed them entirely. Get the real deal from your doc.
💄 This isn’t exactly tech, but there’s tech in it: Esōes Cosmetics created a roofie-detecting lipstick. The bottom compartment contains a test strip. Add a drop of your drink, and it’ll detect drugs. A built-in panic button contacts emergency services. I’d call that $65 well spent if it works.
🔪 Deadly affair: A 53-year-old sugar daddy was murdered in his Washington, D.C., apartment. In the attack, his right thumb was cut off. The severed thumb was used to access a cash app and buy liquor and drugs. Horrifying. The suspected culprits? Two women, one of whom was his sugar baby.
Watch out, dieters: A diabetic woman nearly died after buying fake Ozempic online. It turned out to be an insulin pen, which can cause diabetic shock if misused. Scammers are peddling “weight loss” drugs on websites and social media, luring buyers with phony reviews, no prescriptions and crypto discounts. Do not buy it, please.
🥤 Ugh, not Martinelli’s! The FDA has yanked 28 drinks off the shelves this year for undeclared drugs and cancer-causing chemicals. Martinelli’s apple juice is chock full of arsenic and Fiji Water is full of bacteria. I’ll keep you updated on more offenders as the brands are released.
$100 million
In narcotics trafficked on the dark web by a 23-year-old. Authorities finally bagged the Taiwanese kingpin, Rui-Siang Lin. Over four years, he sold up to $5 million in illegal drugs every month on his site, Incognito Market. For reference, the guy who created the Silk Road was 29 when the feds caught him. He’s serving two lifetimes in prison.
Dead man walking: On the dark web, Incognito Market sold illegal drugs, firearms and more. Its owner said everything was anonymous. Nope. He closed it down and is threatening to hand over all buyers’ and sellers’ names to law enforcement — unless they pay him a ransom. His biggest customers? Drug cartels.
Facebook's drug dealers
Open/download audioHow social media allows drugs to be openly peddled to our children
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