NSFW.
Not Safe For Work. The very acronym sends up red flags for those who share office space with fellow employees -- or employers -- who may be less accepting of Web ads or sites with naughty content
. But what about those times you get blindsided with unexpectedly racy content while innocently looking for, say, moisturizer or new music? What about pop-ups or banner ads on "respectable" sites that can get you in hot water with your stuffy boss,
as some American Apparel ads did for lots of folks recently? And then there are the legit, non-porn sites whose content, while not X-rated, dips seriously into the NC-17 zone? We've rounded up a few of these potential problem sites, but if you get busted while checking out this story, just say "Switched made me do it!"

American Apparel
American Apparel has always rocked some pretty racy spots, but the look of its most recent wave of banner ads, which we found while innocently surfing for music on Pitchforkmedia.com, look like the Calvin Klein teen-porn spots of the early mid-'90s that shocked and appalled the mainstream. Although these ads have gotten people talking, they're a measure of how much more blasé we are about sexed-up imagery that no one's called for a ban like they did for Calvin's mag ads. Still, the ripe young women showing off the plunging V-neck Summer Shirt, short shorts and panties are so suggestive that these spots feel a little blue for the office.
Tags: features
Comments
157
Subscribe to commentsLarry FletcherOct 31st 2007 12:11PM
Matthew 6: 22 The eyes are the windows to the soul. This is where light and darkness enters. Are you light? Darkness creeping in? This is the start of a perverted mind, body and soul.
There is a Dragon of lust consuming the world. Your few moments of pleasure here in this world will forfeit the beauty of heaven and Eternal Life that is reserved for those who live Godly lifes and live holy.
mikeOct 31st 2007 2:21PM
i have a pet peeve that i've been wanting to get off my chest. mr. jason rowan, & all other journalists & t.v. news people, etc., nsfw is not an acronym. neither is abc nor t.v. radar is an acronym. nafta is an acronym. what's the difference? acronyms r pronounced as words. they're formed by the the 1st or 1st few series of letters of words. radar= ra(dio) d(etecting) a(nd) r(anging). nsfw is an abbreviation as is abc (american broadcasting corporation). u jouranlists who r supposed to b better educated than the general population should know better. shame on u! thanx. i'll get off my soapbox now.
Michael BiondoOct 31st 2007 1:18PM
Family Raido Time has an end and it May 21,2011 are you ready to face the truth, because it's getting hotter. ask gore he read the bible and got a peace prize fro repeating it getting hot.
emilyNov 8th 2007 2:01PM
it disturbs me that every single one of these polls comes out the same way. truly, i am worried about growing older in this kind of environment.
PhyllisOct 31st 2007 2:32PM
This is to Michael who thinks his smoking is none of my business. You are right - up to a point, and that point is MY nose. When I have to inhale your second hand smoke and give my life to do so, it becomes my business. Keep your business in your own space. If something I were doing was causing you or your family pain or sickness, you would be right there fighting for your right to LIFE - the first listed of Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness. Your right to pursuit of happiness does not include messing up my life - in any way.
rickOct 31st 2007 2:39PM
We American's are to uptight when it comes to sex. Can't show breast on TV but no problem showing people getting killed or harmed.
ryanNov 1st 2007 2:22PM
michael,
in regard to smoking, your health risks increase. Congratulations on quitting! However, Who do you think pays for the consequences of smokers in the long run. People like me. Insurance premiums go up because unhealthy people access health care more frequently. So you walk around with oxygen all day, you need a scooter to go anywere, you have lung cancer and require expensive surgery and drugs to maintain what quality of life you have left. That is why i care and get into other peoples business, because you messy slobs are a drain on the economy. So I try to live my own life, but you feel it necessary to take money out of my pocket! Now it becomes my business! This is only relative to smokers. So suck on that!
ZionNov 1st 2007 3:44PM
Doesnt the model look like shes fourteen? WIth all the Dateline predators, maybe that is what the fuss is about. We should be concerned then if they look too young.
AdvocateNov 1st 2007 4:50PM
The "American Apparel" ads aren't "too racy" gut they ARE too STUPID. Leave porn to the professionals and stop teasing juvenile males with "R" rated nonsense about girls in street clothes that look like underwear. It's just plain dumb; it denigrates women and men alike. Those ads say nothing of quality of fabric, craft, or anything other than how skimpy the clothes are. When we want porn we know where to go; c'mon, give us a break.
JgleJneNov 1st 2007 7:41PM
This article is exactly why my place of business has blocked these sites due to inappropriate viewing materials to be looking at at work. if you want to see a bra or panties...do it at the store or from your home computer. don't subject your co-workers or yourself to that type of embarrassment by having to explain why you are looking at a woman's half naked body while you were supposed to be doing a report or making calls. :)
Steve SavageNov 14th 2007 2:43AM
Young boys have been masturbating to underwear ads since the early 1900's. Nothing new here, move along.
RobynNov 2nd 2007 7:29AM
Learn to spell people! We do not take your words intelligently if you cannot spell and have poor grammar!
JeffNov 2nd 2007 10:41PM
Gee fellas we got to admit, even us older ol'coots enjoy watching the younger ladies. Lingerie means, "break out the beer".
tootsNov 3rd 2007 1:55PM
FRANKLY I THINK THET ALL ARE UGLY AS HELL
edNov 6th 2007 12:48PM
people are crazy, i got a phone call other day asking me to help force the tv and movie corp to limit violenc and nudity. i told them if you have children put blocks on couse i feel that we cant aford to mess with what little freedom we have left,i beleave theese people should be put in a country that sutes their complaneing needs and se how long they last!!!1 more thing when i was 12,13 yrs old i thank god for the womens brizer adds in the sears yearly addvertisement book.lol bassikly people need to get real and talk about poverty,dissease,and lack of inteligance.rite here in the US of A.
emgNov 6th 2007 1:59PM
no offense but American Apparel ads are too pushing the bar of what is racy. How many times do I have to see a woman's crotch to know they have tights on sale? let alone the dude only uses a certain type of women in his ads. I like the concept and it sells BUT, put some more culture in your ads and lose the helvetica type...it's played out.
EvieNov 7th 2007 2:18PM
Pitchforkmedia.com Dick.... not Pitchfork.com