Questions:

• What is the inappropriate action?
• Who committed it?
• What danger or discomfort might the unethical action cause?
• Is there a parallel in the physical world to this scenario?
• Can you think of other incidents that would fall into this category?

Comments:

Disguise, impersonation, and other forms of "trying on" new personalities are common childhood and adolescent behaviors. The anonymity of the Internet limits such impersonation only to the degree that a lack of a young person’s writing skills or sophistication of thought allows discovery. Role-playing in a physical context is often seen as both healthy and educational. We need to help our children ask when such activities are productive and when they might be harmful.