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Hello, this is a Content Warning appreciation thread 
First and rather wonderfully: CWs are great because they're the opposites of spoilers. "Spoiler" suggests that something is being ruined (duh, spoiled), while a CW manages to instead:
A) build anticipation/intrigue for the story as a whole, B) politely invite readers in by offering them key details (like restaurants displaying a menu outside the entrance), and C) help protect readers from material that could well & truly spoil their reading experience.
Being given a CW also helps me, the reader, extend greater trust to the author right off the bat because they've already demonstrated significant care for me as I make myself and my time vulnerable to them.
By this same token, being mindful about offering CWs for my own stories helps me remember & practice empathy for my readers, which can only help me become a better, more thoughtful writer.
(I'm sorry to say I haven't always been great about offering CWs for my stories in the past, but it's something I'm working to be better about. I now include CWs for all my stories on my website, and I found it super interesting to return to my older stories with this mindset.)
Considering how standard CWs are for film & TV, it's a little weird to realize how infrequently we're given them for novels and short stories.
I've had reading experiences spoiled by things that CWs would've helped me avoid/prepare for, and in some cases it's gone so far as to hurt my readerly relationship with those authors -- I struggle to settle in with their other stories b/c I no longer extend them the same trust.
In a nutshell: I'm super grateful for CWs both as a reader and a writer. They're a wonderful practice in empathy, & they allow for a more trusting, consensual reading experience.
A special shout-out & thank you to @strangehorizons! They always do a terrific job of offering really thorough & thoughtful CWs for their stories
