What Does BYF (Before You Follow) Mean?
AbbreviationA 'before you follow' notice listing what a fan posts about, their stances, and anything a prospective follower should know — the welcoming counterpart to a DNI list. Common on Tumblr, Twitter, and carrd pages.
BYF (Before You Follow) in Practice
The BYF emerged from fandom social media's self-curation culture: rather than litigating misunderstandings later, users post their shipping preferences, discourse positions, spoiler habits, and content warnings up front. A typical BYF covers what the blog contains ('mostly fic, occasional discourse, untagged spoilers for ongoing anime') and personal context the owner wants known, paired with a DNI listing who should stay away. The genre peaked alongside carrd culture in the late 2010s and remains standard among younger fandom, while older fans often regard elaborate BYFs with anthropological bemusement. At its best, the convention is simple courtesy — clear labeling applied to people instead of fic.
Example usage
"Her BYF says she posts untagged manga spoilers, which I read, and which I then experienced the consequences of."
Related Terms
DNI (Do Not Interact)
An abbreviation for 'do not interact' — a notice listing the kinds of accounts a user does not want engaging with their posts, such as 'proshippers DNI' or 'minors DNI.' A staple of Tumblr and Twitter fandom profiles.
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Carrd
A simple one-page website builder that fandom adopted en masse for personal landing pages — BYF, DNI, interest lists, and links collected at a single URL in a bio. 'Check my carrd' became standard fandom shorthand.
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Curate Your Own Experience
The fandom principle that each person is responsible for managing what content they see — using tags, filters, blocks, and blacklists rather than demanding others stop creating. The philosophical backbone of AO3-era fandom etiquette.
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Moots
Casual slang for 'mutuals' — people who follow you and whom you follow back on a social platform. Your moots are your loose circle of online acquaintances and friends.
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