What Does OC Mean? OC Meaning, Origin, Use Cases, & More

We all know how important it is to pay attention to what children are doing online. There are numerous dangers, and today it can be where a lot of bullying takes place, unseen by teachers and friends. However, with so much slang and acronyms used, it can be hard to follow what is being said. That can be unnerving if you see something and you don’t really know what it means.

One of the more common ones you may encounter is OC, and it has two common meanings. When looking to understand the OC meaning in text, you do need a little bit of context. It can mean ‘Of Course’, but also ‘Original Character’. The most common OC meaning in use is probably original character, and you are likely wondering what an OC is.

What Is an OC Original Character?

OC is used on fan communities mostly and refers to characters that are not part of the existing cast of whatever the fandom is about, or were only minor characters in the past. These OC characters are created by, or have their story and personalities expanded by the fandom itself. The OC meaning in this context can refer to work by authors or artists who create new scripts, short stories or even novels and original art. The key is that they are based on the subject of the overall fandom, using these new, completely original characters.

What Does OC Mean in Context?

So, we know that the OC meaning is original character, but how would that be used in a conversation that your child is having? An example would be “who is your favorite OC?”, or “I’m working on a new OC but I’m not sure what flaws to give them.”

Importantly, in general it is not a term that you need to worry about too much. Creating fan fiction about something they love can be a great outlet for their own creativity. In addition, many such authors and artists have gone on to become professional artists and authors. As such, unless the subject matter itself is unsuitable, it is not an activity you should discourage by default.

However, involvement with fandoms can cause issues. Fandoms can be very judgmental in some situations, with a significant amount of peer pressure. So, while seeing your child use words with OC when texting is not a problem in itself, it can indicate they are involved with a fanbase and that could need more careful monitoring.

How Do You Talk to a Child about OC Meaning?

If you have seen your child using OC in their online conversations, it could be a good idea to talk to them about it to gain a little understanding of the fandom they have become part of, and the kind of art or writing they are creating or enjoying. 

There are a couple of ways you can begin that conversation. Ask them what they use as a source to create their OCs, what their favorite OC is and why, or which fandom has the best OCs. By talking about the subject of OCs you can then steer the conversation towards their own activity and how it impacts their online life.

Of you are concerned about your child’s online activity, spotting these slang uses can be a little difficult, but there are things you can do to monitor what they are doing for your own peace of mind and their safety, and one of the best is AirDroid Parental Control.

How Can You Tell If Your Kid Is Using OC in Their Conversation?

An easy-to-use app that installs on your child’s phone, AirDroid Parental Control gives you peace of mind and keeps your child safe. Through this simple and effective app, you can monitor text messages and chat to ensure your child is not having trouble and block inappropriate apps such as games or adult materials.

It can be set up to give you notifications of text messages that highlight bullying, suicide or other issues, so you can always have the right balance between freedom and safety. AirDroid Parental Control is simple to set up, just download and install, set up an AirDroid account and you are done.

You can monitor what they do on their phone through screen mirroring, track activity and receive regular reports including what apps they use, how long they use them for and so on. It is a comprehensive tool that gives you the information you need to make sure your child is safe online.

Conclusion

Seeing any slang that you don’t understand in conversations your child is having can be a cause of concern. However, in the case of OC meaning in text, it is not a sign of an immediate danger. However, fandoms can grow into issues sometimes, so it may be something to keep an eye on. With AirDroid Parental Control you have everything you need to see exactly what your child is doing online, keeping them safe and giving you peace of mind.