diff --git a/config_example.json b/config_example.json
index 0638e29..9f969b8 100644
--- a/config_example.json
+++ b/config_example.json
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@
     "open_registration_require_mail_andor_token": false,
     "private_society": false,
     "private_society_gate": "cloudflare",
+    "public_nsfw": false,
     "paths": {
       "images": "/b",
       "thumbnails": "/t",
diff --git a/src/index.mjs b/src/index.mjs
index 7140bda..e4b9e87 100644
--- a/src/index.mjs
+++ b/src/index.mjs
@@ -663,9 +663,14 @@ process.on('uncaughtException', err => {
     const queryMode = req.url.qs?.mode !== undefined ? +req.url.qs.mode : undefined;
     req.mode = queryMode !== undefined ? queryMode : (req.session ? +(req.session.mode ?? 0) : +(req.cookies?.mode ?? 0));
 
-    // Guest protection: Strictly enforce SFW mode (0) for non-logged-in users
+    // public_nsfw: when true, the *default* for guests is mode 3 (all content).
+    // Only applies when the guest has no explicit mode preference (no ?mode= param, no cookie).
+    // If the guest has chosen a filter (e.g. SFW), that choice is always respected.
     if (!req.session) {
-      req.mode = 0;
+      const hasExplicitMode = queryMode !== undefined || req.cookies?.mode !== undefined;
+      if (!hasExplicitMode) {
+        req.mode = cfg.websrv.public_nsfw ? 3 : 0;
+      }
     }
 
     // Private Society gate — require login for all content when enabled
diff --git a/views/snippets/footer.html b/views/snippets/footer.html
index 54ed0df..29ebd7a 100644
--- a/views/snippets/footer.html
+++ b/views/snippets/footer.html
@@ -416,7 +416,8 @@
     dm_attachments: @if(dm_attachments) true @else false @endif,
     dm_unencrypted: @if(dm_unencrypted) true @else false @endif,
     allow_comment_deletion: @if(allow_comment_deletion) true @else false @endif,
-    enable_comment_polls: @if(enable_comment_polls) true @else false @endif
+    enable_comment_polls: @if(enable_comment_polls) true @else false @endif,
+    mode: {{ mode !== undefined ? mode : 0 }}
   };
   window.f0ckDebug = window.f0ckSession.development ? console.log.bind(console) : () => {};
   window.f0ckI18n = {