What Does 'Marked Safe From X' Mean? The Fake Disaster Meme Explained

The world is full of dangers, and we need to know that both the people we love and the people we vaguely kind of know are safe. That's why Facebook invented the "marked safe" feature, and why meme-makers have applied their creativity to turn it into a format that can speak not just to the exceptional disasters which threaten life and limb, but the everyday troubles of existing on the internet. But what does the marked safe from X meme mean, and why do people use it? Let's explain.

Where Does 'Marked Safe From X' Come From?

The "marked safe" screen started as a feature implemented by Facebook so that users could tell their friends they had not been harmed by disasters in their area. Marking yourself safe from some form of horrible happening was a sincere gesture intended to make sure people would not worry about you. Facebook first implemented the feature after a series of earthquakes in Nepal in 2015.

The first recorded meme edit of the "marked safe" icon appeared in 2017, posted by Hollywood gossip blogger Perez Hilton about Harvey Weinstein. New edits, often about less grave topics, started to circulate as well.

How Are 'Marked Safe From X' Memes Used?

The memes are often used to mock something that might not actually exist, or might not actually be a disaster. You can't be made unsafe by something that is not real. Often, they have been used to push back on fake news stories.

Other examples of this meme seek to mock something that the poster sees as annoying. There's an undertone of seriousness to these kinds of postings, with people expressing anxiety about something that is legitimately scary.

Why Do People Make 'Marked Safe From X' Memes?

There's something a little extra about Facebook's "marked safe" feature. On one level, it exists to reassure people who might be worried about their friends. On another level, it exists so people can transform a disaster that has happened to their community into an event within their personal lore. Many of the meme usages poke fun at this kind of "making it all about me" attitude, which is quite common online.

If you want to know the full history of "marked safe from X" be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.