I believe that all kids should have at least TWO screen names. The first one might include their initials and last name, similar in format to most adults. This screen name should be reserved for use when dealing in the professional online realm. The second one should include NO PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION and should be used for ALL social interactions online.
Your children will be communicating with adults online. They will email teachers, employers, university counselors and other professional people online. We want them to learn that communicating with the adult world requires a level of decorum that is far beyond their online social interactions with their friends. Using proper English with punctuation, at least for the moment, is still appreciated by most adults. They don't want a request for an internship coming from a user named cutiesmurfette.
On the other hand, the last thing we want our kids to do is wander into an online game or chatroom announcing their identity to scores of strangers just by their screen name.
In a future blog we will talk about the direct information our kids are giving away indirectly through their online conversations.
For now, take a look at your child's screen name and evaluate it for the following:
- Is any part of their name in it?
- Does it mention their school or team name?
- Is any part of their age in it?
- Does it mention a year, like birth year or graduation year?
- Is it suggestive in any way?
- Does it imply that they are a child?
- Is their cell phone number in it?
- Can you determine their gender?
It isn't the end of the world to change your child's screen name, it would be much more traumatic for you as an adult to change your email address and notify everyone you know. Our kids communicate in lightning speed with each other, I bet within 24 hours, your child's friends will have forgotten the old screen name and moved on to the new...so no need to panic about change.
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