Momo Challenge - scaremongering or a real danger?

The Pheasant2

Bacchus wrote: »

WhatsApp is one part of it. The first step is embedded videos/messages of Momo on YouTube (which in itself can be terribly upsetting to young children). They are directed to WhatsApp then and at that point it takes on a life of its own.

Nonsense. Literally none of this has been verifiably seen by anyone - it's a moral panic whipped up by the media and bored Facebook mammies and you've fallen for it.

Yes you are right to say it's important our children are safe online, but there's nothing to be gained by getting worked up over something that doesn't even exist.

AudreyHepburn

weldoninhio wrote: »

What?

You said children need more real world interaction - I’m asking if you seriously consider Momo part of that or something children need?

Fiftyfilthy

Just scare mongering and hysteria for all the full time mammys to get their little angles in the papers.

My 6 year old tried to kill me with a sword as momo told him when he was on his Facebook account

Yesterday 2 foreigners tried to abduct him in their van

I have rats all over the gaffe too

I’m discusted

One eyed Jack

Bacchus wrote: »

I think there's definitely question marks over any evidence of serious self harm, and the media have over played it. However, that still does not diminish the seriousness of this and similar tactics for connecting with children online.

If there are question marks over any evidence of self harm, and the media have overplayed it, then how serious is the issue really? It’s clearly not so serious that parents need to be any more vigilant than they’re already being, against this latest fad and many other fads that have been previously worked up in the media to target adults. Is it as serious an issue as the media giving adults what they want - to be held in a perpetual state of fear?

Parents generally are concerned for their children’s welfare, and they’ll take whatever measures they feel are necessary to ensure the safety of their children. Stories like these aren’t likely to have parents change their behaviours drastically, far more likely they’ll simply serve parents who are already anxious about their children’s safety.

Potential-Monke

Sounds like a job for the parents. Imagine that, monitoring your child's internet access. Who'd have thunk it. She looks like yer one at the end of the live action Beetlejuice film. Which was PG back in the day when I was a kid.

gctest50

You could make a few euro out of this :

Go write the "Homework Helper App"

Pop up image below

profit

joe40

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Nonsense. Literally none of this has been verifiably seen by anyone - it's a moral panic whipped up by the media and bored Facebook mammies and you've fallen for it.

Yes you are right to say it's important our children are safe online, but there's nothing to be gained by getting worked up over something that doesn't even exist.

I haven't seen any evidence of a "moral panic" over this. Parents aren't going to be destroying their kids ipads/phones any time soon.
This particular thing may have been over egged a bit I just don't know, but there is plenty of very harmful stuff online, even on kids sites, so if this raises overall awareness then it can be a good thing.

The internet is great and there are plenty of benefits for kids engaging online but care also needs to be taken.

Cars are great, revolutionised how we get about, but safety considerations also had to evolve over time.

I agree there is a balance to be struck between safe internet access and safety concerns. Still early days in all this.

Kingp35

Bacchus wrote: »

WhatsApp is one part of it. The first step is embedded videos/messages of Momo on YouTube (which in itself can be terribly upsetting to young children). They are directed to WhatsApp then and at that point it takes on a life of its own.

How is this even possible? Does the add ask them to add a mobile number as a contact on their phone and then send them a WhatsApp message? How exactly does this work?

Can you link to these reports that show momo on youtube videos and apps because I'm curious if any of them go in detail on how the game works.

As far as I can tell, there is no verifiable evidence that this 'game' exists at all.

Bacchus

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Nonsense. Literally none of this has been verifiably seen by anyone - it's a moral panic whipped up by the media and bored Facebook mammies and you've fallen for it.

Yes you are right to say it's important our children are safe online, but there's nothing to be gained by getting worked up over something that doesn't even exist.

From my perspective, we will have to wait till the dust settles and see what actually is going on. There are a lot of questions to be answers but this is what is being reported now by police authorities and the media. As I've said in all my posts so far, I rather a proactive stance on this type of thing instead of ignoring the risks to children online. I'm far from worked up and I agree this has been over-hyped by the media (and by parents themselves on FB) but I think this is a good opportunity to remind parents of the responsibility they have to look out for their children's welfare online (something we both agree on).

Boom_Bap

Parents no matter how well they are tuned in are not acutely aware of the dangers of the apps that are used.


For example, a friend of mine, extremely smart, extremely attentive parent, works and studies social worker stuff. I heard them talking to their child about something they seen on TikTok.


They had no idea that that app is used by predators to lure young kids. They just thought it was for sharing videos, but didn't think that it could be used for other purposes.

AudreyHepburn

I just want to point out that I am not trying to sensationalize anything nor am I worked up unnecessarily over it. I am concerned about the potential threat this could pose to vulnerable children and teenagers and I fail to see what’s so unreasonable about that.

Yes to us as adults Momo is clearly not real and not dangerous but put yourselves onto the mind of a young child or vulnerable teenager and it’s only too easy to see how they could fall victim to this and similar apps.

weldoninhio

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

You said children need more real world interaction - I’m asking if you seriously consider Momo part of that or something children need?

No, but if they were more outdoorsy and street smart, they'd realise that Momo is nonsense and doesn't actually exist.

Anthonylfc

my son was playing minecraft and it messaged him

Mo Mo Challenge go kill yourself

that's all it said

weldoninhio

NIMAN wrote: »

I would agree.

Could Cee Jay Cee please post some more information as to how it happened? If you know the case in question, I would be interested to hear how the 6yr old was contacted.

No sign of him/her. I hope Momo hasn't gotten to them.

The Pheasant2

joe40 wrote: »

I haven't seen any evidence of a "moral panic" over this. Parents aren't going to be destroying their kids ipads/phones any time soon.
This particular thing may have been over egged a bit I just don't know, but there is plenty of very harmful stuff online, even on kids sites, so if this raises overall awareness then it can be a good thing.

The internet is great and there are plenty of benefits for kids engaging online but care also needs to be taken.

Cars are great, revolutionised how we get about, but safety considerations also had to evolve over time.

I agree there is a balance to be struck between safe internet access and safety concerns. Still early days in all this.

Yeah that's all fair enough.

It doesn't change the fact that in this case, nothing of what people are fearing is actually true.

It's a boogeyman conjured up by the media and it's snowballing due to naive and dishonest (https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/momo-challenge-limerick-mum-warns-14055663.amp) parents perpetuating the panic - if anything all this will result in actual Momo videos being made by edgy teenagers looking to get some kicks

Anthonylfc

Anthonylfc wrote: »

my son was playing minecraft and it messaged him

Mo Mo Challenge go kill yourself

that's all it said

Did you see the message?

Anthonylfc

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Did you see the message?

yeah showed me this morning

no picture of the face

was like a friend chatting , just a message

Anthonylfc

in fairness my lad is 8 , and all he uses is minecraft , roblox and youtube for kids

if somebody uses a swear word he tells me , always talks to me if he has any issues which is great as some kids say feck all

Kingp35

Anthonylfc wrote: »

my son was playing minecraft and it messaged him

Mo Mo Challenge go kill yourself

that's all it said

This is a symptom of the hoax. Teenagers have seen this reported in the media and have decided to mess with people themselves. This was probably a troll messaging random people.

Anthonylfc

Anthonylfc wrote: »

in fairness my lad is 8 , and all he uses is minecraft , roblox and youtube for kids

if somebody uses a swear word he tells me , always talks to me if he has any issues which is great as some kids say feck all

It could be the knock on effect too and someone else has a variation of the momo name and typed it. I’d say there are thousands of messers right now doing exactly that.

Can you disable chat or make it friends only?

Boom_Bap

Anthonylfc wrote: »

in fairness my lad is 8 , and all he uses is minecraft , roblox and youtube for kids

if somebody uses a swear word he tells me , always talks to me if he has any issues which is great as some kids say feck all

Roblox is a place where people spread these 'challenges'.
KidsTube is good, but, there are cases where an video of say Barney after 15 minutes will start to be dubbed with random weird stuff.

Anthonylfc

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

It could be the knock on effect too and someone else has a variation of the momo name and typed it. I’d say there are thousands of messers right now doing exactly that.

Can you disable chat or make it friends only?

did it this morning yep

i think its scaremongering tbh

weldoninhio

Kingp35 wrote: »

This is a symptom of the hoax. Teenagers have seen this reported in the media and have decided to mess with people themselves. This was probably a troll messaging random people.

Exactly, people are just going into the IM of apps and games and sending "Momo" messages, all set in motion by the hysteria of the media and Facebook mums.

AudreyHepburn

Can I ask, and this is a genuine question, how are people so sure Momo (as in the app not the character) doesn’t exist or is a hoax?

Or is it that people want it to be a hoax or a lie so they don’t have to deal with the disturbing nature of it?

Anthonylfc

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Roblox is a place where people spread these 'challenges'.
KidsTube is good, but, there are cases where an video of say Barney after 15 minutes will start to be dubbed with random weird stuff.

or bad peppa pig ( i even laugh at them ha ha )

or bad postman pat :D

i know you say " he's 8 what does he know " but i give my kid some responsibility and if he abuses it , screen taken away for a week

he's yet to act the maggot

Uncharted

Kingp35 wrote: »

This is a symptom of the hoax. Teenagers have seen this reported in the media and have decided to mess with people themselves. This was probably a troll messaging random people.

Correct

NIMAN

Anthonylfc wrote: »

my son was playing minecraft and it messaged him

Mo Mo Challenge go kill yourself

that's all it said

It isnt a living thing. Momo can't message anyone, someone had to have messaged your son, likely a friend or a sibling of one of his friends.

Deebles McBeebles

Momo just messaged me and told me to go eat here...freaky.
https://www.momos.ie/

weldoninhio

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Can I ask, and this is a genuine question, how are people so sure Momo (as in the app not the character) doesn’t exist or is a hoax?

Or is it that people want it to be a hoax or a lie so they don’t have to deal with the disturbing nature of it?

If I pm you and say "Momo Challenge: Kill a random stranger." Does that make it real??

Anthonylfc

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Momo just messaged me and told me to go eat here...freaky.
https://www.momos.ie/

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac: