Cos

Child over shoulder

When you see ‘COS’ in a message, it’s a discreet heads up that a child is present and can see the screen. It’s often used by parents or babysitters to signal to their friends or contacts to keep the conversation clean and suitable for young eyes. This is similar to how kids might use ‘POS’ to alert their friends that a parent is nearby, watching their device.

This code is typically used when a child has a chance to read messages off the sender’s screen. For example, a mom might use ‘COS’ when her little one is sitting on her lap while she’s texting or browsing. Similarly, a babysitter might use this code when they’re messaging a friend and the kid they’re watching is close by.

However, it’s important to note that ‘COS’ isn’t widely known. So, if the person you’re messaging isn’t familiar with this type of online jargon, it might just confuse them. Unless you’re sure the recipient knows this slang, it’s probably more clear to just spell it out and say a child is present, rather than use ‘COS’.

Example for using ‘Cos’ in a conversation

Related Slang Words You Might Be Interested In

Slang	Meaning
Attaboy	'Attaboy' means 'Good job'
Shool	Shool is slang for School
1aat	One at a time
IAD	It all depends
NL	Not likely