If you’ve come across the term AFAIC in your online chats but don’t know what it means, you don’t have to look much further.

Modern digital communication is incomplete with internet slang initialisms. The usage of abbreviations and slang has risen as people's fondness for interacting via texts and social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat has increased. While the newer generation, such as Millenials and Gen Zs, might be comfortable using these internet slang initialisms, people from previous generations can struggle to understand what they mean. In this blog, we'll help you keep on top of the trends by teaching you what the acronym “AFAIC” means and how to use it.

What’s the meaning of AFAIC?

“AFAIC” is an acronym for “As Far As I'm Concerned”, and is used to give a statement and clarify it is a personal opinion, suggestion, or viewpoint. It is often used to preface the opinion statement, making sure the recipient knows that any viewpoint given is personal. While you may not find people using it during a real life interaction, it’s often used via email, texts, and other digital media. Internet slang initialisms like these are generally used in uppercase format, but as with other initialisms such as btw and omg, there is no strict rule.

If you want a collection of slang to use when expressing your opinion online, there are a few similar abbreviations that you can try out. There are some that also use ‘As Far As I…’, including AFAICT (As Far As I Can Tell), AFAIR (As Far As I Remember), and AAFIA (As Far As I’m Aware). Similarly, both IMO (In My Opinion) and IMHO (In My Humble Opinion / Honest Opinion) can be used to preface an opinion statement.

How do you use AFAIC?

AFAIC is used in both personal and professional communication. Here are some examples of how you can use this internet slang initialism in your everyday conversations, making your keyboard typing even quicker:

1. Personal Communication

• Friend 1: Do you think Josie's grandfather will get better soon?
• Friend 2: AFAIC, I think he'll recover fast as he is in good hands.

• Friend 1: FYI, my bus is running very late. Are you still going to arrive on time?
• Friend 2: AFAIC, I’ll still get there on time! I hope your bus speeds up ASAP.

2. Professional Communication

Hi Harry,

AFAIC, I think the client brief seems incomplete. We'll need more details to get started. We should get on a call with them to extract more information.

Is AFAIC similar to AFAIK?

Though this acronym seems similar to “AFAIK,” the meaning is entirely different. AFAIK is used to show that you aren't 100% sure about the correctness of information, whereas AFAIC means that your statement is your personal opinion or viewpoint. If you’re confused about the difference between the two, you can read on further about what AFAIK means.

Conclusion

If it is taking some time for you to get familiar with internet slang initialisms like this, don't worry. Learning one slang at a time and trying to use it in your SMS conversations will make it easy for you. For more such content and to learn about recent trends in social media, keep watching this space. AFAIC, you should now be able to use this internet slang across Facebook, Twitter, or your social media of choice. You’ll be able to type your messages quickly and get right back to your real-life interactions.

About the Author

Marla Broadway

Marla writes across a wide range of topics across PC Guide, including AI, PC hardware, and news on the latest tech releases. She's a passionate writer that's interested in the future of technology.