OC Meaning
OC stands for Original Character.
OC is an internet slang initialism referring to a minor character in an existing canon whose role is being expanded by a fanfiction writer or a completely new character who exists in the reality of a published canon.
How Is OC Used? Use Cases & Examples
In fanfiction, OCs are characters created by authors or cosplayers who are not part of the classic cast but are introduced informally into the story. You can usually find OCs in fanworks, where authors or artists develop new characters and drop them into existing worlds.
Examples of how your teen might use the slang term OC:
- Have you role-played with this OC? They’re amazing and so creative!
- All of his stories are all about his OC.
- That OC is cute! Want to do an art trade?
- Who is this person in your drawing?
That’s my OC.
How to Identify If Your Kids Are Using the OC Slang Word
The slang term OC is completely harmless to children, but some teenage slang is extremely risky. That’s why you need to monitor the slang words your kids use. To protect kids from danger, you can identify the slang word OC using these two methods:
1. Check Their Phones Directly for the OC Slang Word
To determine if your teens are using OC slang words, check their phones directly. There are many things to check, such as SMS, search history, and chat messages on WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, and Line.
Cons:
- Affect your relationship with your kids
- Troublesome
- Can’t detect dangers timely
Pros:
- No need to install any app
2. Install A Parental Control App to Monitor the OC Slang Word
Install an excellent parental control app on your kids’ mobile devices. With it, you’ll access all the slang words used on their phones. Plus, you will receive notifications whenever your children trigger certain slang words. Apart from that, you can also monitor their text messages, social chat messages and search history for slang expressions such as OC. Therefore, you can ensure your kids’ online safety.
Pros:
- More features like chat monitoring, GPS tracking, call recording, surrounding recording, etc
- Instant alerts
- Easy to install and use
Cons:
- Some apps are not free
Parental Control Apps to Detect the OC Slang Word
Android:
- Google Family link:
It is a family parental control service from Google that helps you check search history for the OC slang word, restrict content, set screen time, and more. - iKeyMonitor:
iKeyMonitor is one of the most powerful parental control apps. It monitors SMS, chat messages, and searched terms on kids’ phones. It will take screenshots/photos and send instant alerts to you on triggered alert words such as OC. Besides, it will record calls, surroundings and block inappropriate apps to protect your kids from threats.
iOS:
- Apple Screen Time:
With Apple’s built-in parental control setting, you can manage app limits, set content restrictions, and more. Just unlock the iPhone or iPad, then go to Settings and tap on Screen Time. - Norton Family Parental Control:
Norton Family provides insights that help you foster a healthy online/offline balance for your children and their devices. - Kaspersky Safe Kids with GPS:
Kaspersky Safe Kids is a popular parental control app that provides web monitoring, app blocking, filtering, and more. - Alertbird Parental Control:
Alertbird is a parental control app for iOS that monitors the OC slang term and other dangerous words. You will be notified immediately if it detects alert keywords in your searched terms and chat messages, such as the OC slang word.
Tips to Talk With Your Kids About the Use of the OC Slang Word
The internet offers wonderful opportunities for inspiring and sharing creativity. Plenty of fan fiction websites and forums support anyone’s desire to write a story. Some sites are mostly unmonitored, while others have restrictions that make them kid-friendly. For example, the Harry Potter fan fiction site FictionAlley oversees its content because they know many of the participants are not adults. Here are some conversation starters for discussing the slang expression OC with your teens:
- How would you describe an OC based on yourself?
- What’s your favorite original source for OC to be based on?
- Who is one of your favorite OCs and why?
- If you write novels, screenplays or manga, would you welcome fanfiction?
