Never Lose Your Smile
“Never Lose Your Smile,” sometimes abbreviated to NLYS, is a phrase and a meme that originated from a popular image that shows the words “NEVER LOSE YOUR SMILE” above the bottom half of a skull and crossbones image known as the Totenkopf — a symbol adopted by Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS) during the Nazi-era. The phrase and image are often shared alongside neo-Nazi and white supremacist rhetoric, racist tropes, romanticization of Hitler and other antisemitic content. The deceptive nature of this design also allows extremists to sell clothing, patches, and other items featuring the image on major internet platforms without triggering moderation.
