The internet culture is full of acronyms that users employ in their daily communication. From an outside perspective, these may look like secret codes. Still, the reality is that each has a simple meaning and explanation.
If you’re wondering what DP means, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll give you a hint – if you’re on social media, you probably have a DP. Keep reading to find out what this acronym means.
What Does DP Mean in Text
DP might have several interpretations, but its most popular use is “display picture.” Basically, it refers to a user’s profile picture on various social media sites.
During the early day of the internet, communication was entirely text-based. Profile photos were popularized much later, following the inception of social media. Therefore, the acronym appeared once internet communication stopped being exclusively text-based.
This acronym has become so popular that it’s sometimes used in real-life conversations. For example, you might ask your friend how your new DP looks like over a cup of coffee.
Similarly, it’s not uncommon for friends to text each other about their display pictures on social media networks or other apps. After all, this photo is the first thing a person sees when they go to your profile.
Some users have even transformed this acronym into a verb. If, for example, you’ve taken a fantastic photo of your friend on holiday, you might say, “You should DP this photo!”
In text, people tend to write this acronym in lower case.
What Does DP Mean on Snapchat?
Out of all the mainstream social media apps, Snapchat users seem to have developed the most elaborate communication system. This system is full of acronyms and abbreviations that can almost look like a different language. If you want to keep up with the times and follow the latest trends, you should frequently update your Snapchat vocabulary.
Like SFS, SB, and GMS, the DP acronym has a simple meaning. On Snapchat, DP stands for “display picture.”
With no cover photos available, display or profile picture is the focus of your Snapchat account. Together with your username, display name, location, website, and a bio, this photo is an identifying part of your profile.
On Snapchat, there is no option to comment or interact with the profile picture in any way. For that reason, users usually use their Snapchat Stories to get feedback on their new DP, either from Snapchat or another social media app.
What Does DP Mean in Social Media?
Once social networking sites like Facebook became mainstream, they introduced various new features to their users. One of the features that became a common practice was adding a picture of yourself as your profile photo.
These days, profile pictures are essential for almost any social media profile or similar website. It’s not surprising, therefore, they have their own acronym that is almost as common as the practice of adding a photo itself.
You’ve guessed it – DP stands for “display picture,” which is just another way to label your profile photo. Photos are a valuable part of online communication, as they help us visualize the people we’re talking to.
However, Twitter has brought this acronym to a whole new level. It’s not unusual for DPs on Twitter not to include the actual owner of the account. Twitter is infamous for its “stan culture,” consisting of legions of die-hard fans of a celebrity or otherwise famous people.
Therefore, display pictures on Twitter may show their favorite singer, a sports team, or a TV personality. This way, fans can quickly find other people with mutual interests and form a community.
These display photos can also significantly influence the discourse you might have on Twitter, as other users participating can make assumptions based on them. Depending on how intense the conversation gets, this acronym can get thrown around as an insult.
While Twitter allows for a lively discourse in general, Facebook is the only mainstream social media that allows you to comment directly on a DP. Whenever you change your profile picture, Facebook publishes a timeline post, allowing your friends to leave a comment. These comments frequently feature the DP acronym, hopefully with nice adjectives attached.
Some social media and discussion websites like Reddit have a primarily anonymous user base. Nevertheless, the DP acronym is very much present across these sites.
Learning to Speak Internet
Considering its ever-evolving nature, it might be challenging to keep up with the internet slang. Luckily, a quick Google search can often eliminate guesswork and provide a straightforward answer. We are sure the Google search that brought you to our article yielded the desired results. Now you’re ready to go out in the internet world and use DP as you wish.
Do you use acronyms in your online communication? Would you use DP? Let us know in the comments section below.