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Child Item

Momo Challenge - scaremongering or a real danger?

AudreyHepburn

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/police-warn-parents-about-momo-challenge-dangers-1.3805965?mode=amp

I don’t know how many of you will have seen this on the news in the last few days but I can honestly say it’s one of the most disturbing things I’ve seen in a long time. The graphic alone would put the willies up you.

Essentially it’s an online app that sets out disturbing and dangerous challenges to the user involving self harm and threatening harm to others. It specifically targets children and teenagers and the final challenge is to take your own life. Momo threatens the user into completing the challenges. Tragically three youngsters have already taken their own lives as a result.

I find it worrying that there are a lot of people trying to downplay the Gardai’s warning as scaremongering. Frankly I think we can never be too careful when it comes to online activity especially with our children. Just because no child here as yet taken their own life or hurt themselves doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen nor does the fact that only three children have lost their lives mean it’s not as dangerous as it’s being made out to be.

After hours thoughts?

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AudreyHepburn

JMNolan wrote: »

You'd have to be fair naive or dense to believe this momo crap

As an adult absolutely. As a young child or vulnerable teenager not so much which is why it seems to target these groups.

I agree about not sensationalisomg these things but there’s no harm in being vigilant is there?

Deebles McBeebles

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/news/366296/limerick-mother-warns-parents-over-creepy-momo-cyberbullying-game.html

Smacks of a lack of parenting to me. 3 year old watching videos online and then her 10 year old son would apparently just do what the screen tells him to.

AudreyHepburn

weldoninhio wrote: »

Kids need less cotton wool around them and a bit more real world interaction.

You’re not seriously calling Momo real world interaction and necessary for children are you?

maccored

I think it highlights how its time android apps were properly screened before being released to the public. afaik it didnt get on to the itunes app store. the amount of dodgy malware apps on google play is making android almost as dodgy as windows

Plopsu

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Two reported cases in Ireland yesterday one where a 6 yr old in Donegal was told/asked by Momo to get a knife and kill his baby sister. This is not anecdotal, I know the child/parent.

Did the 6 year old have unsupervised access to the internet of did MoMo turn up in person to instruct him. Did he perhaps tell the parent this just as he woke up?

seamus

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/news/366296/limerick-mother-warns-parents-over-creepy-momo-cyberbullying-game.html

Smacks of a lack of parenting to me. 3 year old watching videos online and then her 10 year old son would apparently just do what the screen tells him to.

Smacks of attention-seeking to me tbh. Some bored woman making up stuff to get into the papers.

Just like the post above with the kids who claim to have "seen" momo in the street.

The J Stands for Jay

Yesterday I actually tried to find the momo app\site\whatever to take part. I couldn't find it. It seems that it's just some people using their WhatsApp number to play the part of Momo.
They've taken out ads for it, which is why it's being reported (badly) as being 'in' apps. They're just in app ads. It's also possible that Momo is spliced into video on YouTube and YouTube kids. There's already some far sicker **** in there (advice on successful suicide aimed at kids).

enfant terrible

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Don't forget the momos who are within the family which is often the case.

Probably much more likely than priest or scout leader.

joe40

weldoninhio wrote: »

So alert and mindful, that instead of reading up on this internet "phenomenon" and getting the facts, they get their "facts" from Facebook memes and share away, as if hitting share on FB is helping. They are idiots.

The world is an awful lot safer nowadays that it was 10/15/20 years ago. We just have 24/7 access to news as it happens nowadays. This new generation of kids will be worse than the snowflakes that came before them. That is down to the parents.

As a teenager of the 80's the powers that be ruled that a Frankie goes to Hollywood song should be banned. They might have mentioned the word "come" or something.
The so called "Video nasties" that modern teenagers would laugh at were banned for our own good.

This idea that modern teenagers are over protected snowflakes is absolute nonsense.

micks_address

there was a similar issue few years ago with a group of clowns going around try to scare people in the US and a group even went into some dublin school dressed as chainsaw wielding clowns and caused panic.. the stories definitely freaked out our 9 year old at the time.. kids believe what other kids say... so if someone says clowns going to kill you it will scare some kids.. maybe not all kids... our now 12 year has a phone and is on whatapps and we will have to sit her down and explain this to here re momo. Likely its the talk of the yard at school with various interpretations of what might happen if you get a message being told..

weldoninhio

Bacchus wrote: »

If it means some parents get a kick up the ass and realise they need to be proactive with their children's safety, then at least some good comes of it. In general though I agree with you that there are better ways to educate parents. It's just sometimes, if it's not on Facebook you're probably not going to get their attention.

In some respects, yes it is a safer place. Ironically though much of that is due to greater oversight and surveillance - something you don't seem to think should apply in a parent-child relationship. Where the world is not a safer place, and in fact is more dangerous is the Internet. Literally anyone from anywhere in the world now has access to multiple platforms from which they can interact directly with children. That has been, is and will continue to be a real danger against which parents need to be vigilant.

Sharing Facebook memes is not a proactive way to look after your childs safety. It's the easy and lazy way to say they've done something.

JoeyJJ

I've seen kids handed devices just to shut them up and head off into other rooms etc. This whole thing is easily monitored if parents monitored access they are granting kids.

weldoninhio

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Two reported cases in Ireland yesterday one where a 6 yr old in Donegal was told/asked by Momo to get a knife and kill his baby sister. This is not anecdotal, I know the child/parent.

It's literally anecdotal :rolleyes:

The Momo app does not request anyone to do anything like you have described. It was more than likely someone in the chatroom of the app. A chatroom that is duplicated in many other kids apps. To blame it on the app 1. shows your lack of knowledge on the product and 2. shows your susceptibility to media manipulation.

whisky_galore

SteM wrote: »

Why is a 6 year old allowed on any sort of social media platform?

You might as well ask a 6 year old to mow the lawn or drive the family car, just as irresponsible.

Kingp35

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Two reported cases in Ireland yesterday one where a 6 yr old in Donegal was told/asked by Momo to get a knife and kill his baby sister. This is not anecdotal, I know the child/parent.

This is the very definition of anecdotal! How was the kid told to do this? Through an app, youtube video, WhatsApp text?

Can anyone provide a link to a youtube video that contains momo? Can anyone name an app that contains momo? Can anyone link me to an add from an app that contains momo? Can anyone show me a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation that contains momo?

Is there any real evidence that this momo 'game' exists?

weldoninhio

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

You’re not seriously calling Momo real world interaction and necessary for children are you?

What?

Bacchus

maccored wrote: »

I think it highlights how its time android apps were properly screened before being released to the public. afaik it didnt get on to the itunes app store. the amount of dodgy malware apps on google play is making android almost as dodgy as windows

That is a legimate concern. AFAIK though with Momo it's appearing on YouTube videos and moves the target (child) on to other platforms such as WhatsApp to send messages. So it's not an Android/Apple specific thing here.

Bacchus

weldoninhio wrote: »

Sharing Facebook memes is not a proactive way to look after your childs safety. It's the easy and lazy way to say they've done something.

Not at all what I said.

coolisin

All parents need to do to stop momo is hand their kids a book instead of a smart phone. Sorted!

From the sounds of things Momo appears to be a whatsapp chat is that what im understating.

Why the hell does a 6yr old have access to whats app or any other messaging app for that matter.

weldoninhio

coolisin wrote: »

All parents need to do to stop momo is hand their kids a book instead of a smart phone. Sorted!

From the sounds of things Momo appears to be a whatsapp chat is that what im understating.

Why the hell does a 6yr old have access to whats app or any other messaging app for that matter.

May as well bring your 6yo into the nearest city and let them wander around alone for the day.

joe40

Bacchus wrote: »

That is a legimate concern. AFAIK though with Momo it's appearing on YouTube videos and moves the target (child) on to other platforms such as WhatsApp to send messages. So it's not an Android/Apple specific thing here.

Exactly, raising a concern is not scaremongering. Parents of children do need to be vigilant about kids and their online interaction for a whole variety of reasons. If this raises overall awareness it is a good thing.

it is impossible to avoid the internet, but no harm been as careful as possible.

Bacchus

coolisin wrote: »

All parents need to do to stop momo is hand their kids a book instead of a smart phone. Sorted!

From the sounds of things Momo appears to be a whatsapp chat is that what im understating.

Why the hell does a 6yr old have access to whats app or any other messaging app for that matter.

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.

Yes, a 6yr old should not have access to WhatsApp but clearly children as young as that do which is the whole damn problem. Parents need to be proactive about this. Many are but clearly many are not. If any good comes from the Momo challenge its that more parents will become tuned into what their kids have access to in future.

Boom_Bap

The more awareness this gets the better. The more parents that are not aware of what happens on smart phones that directly impact kids, that get some sort of eye opener the better.

There are all types of things that are directed at kids, they are told to keep secret and do stuff.

[Deleted User]

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.

Yes, a 6yr old should not have access to WhatsApp but clearly children as young as that do which is the whole damn problem. Parents need to be proactive about this. Many are but clearly many are not. If any good comes from the Momo challenge its that more parents will become tuned into what their kids have access to in future.

And with all the uproar and media coverage this has been given, there will be countless more videos made by teenagers to get a reaction. This is counterproductive and was simply stirred up by the media for clicks and has unfortunately given this hoax a more than good chance of becoming a reality.

The media are sickening. Proactively creating dangers to be able to report on them

NIMAN

Kingp35 wrote: »

This is the very definition of anecdotal! How was the kid told to do this? Through an app, youtube video, WhatsApp text?

Can anyone provide a link to a youtube video that contains momo? Can anyone name an app that contains momo? Can anyone link me to an add from an app that contains momo? Can anyone show me a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation that contains momo?

Is there any real evidence that this momo 'game' exists?

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.

NIMAN

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.

Yes, a 6yr old should not have access to WhatsApp but clearly children as young as that do which is the whole damn problem. Parents need to be proactive about this. Many are but clearly many are not. If any good comes from the Momo challenge its that more parents will become tuned into what their kids have access to in future.

Is there any actual proof that these videos exist?
Could someone provide a link to one for example?

Because I read on a FB post that there was a Peppa Pig and a Fortnite video on You Tube which had the MoMo character in it, but I take everything on FB with a massive pinch of salt cos most people on it post nonsense most of the time.

Dial Hard

Bacchus wrote:

This is about sharing fake news. How is that relevant to this Momo challenge targetting children? Also the youngest age group in the survey is 18-29. No mention about children.

Except there's absolutely no evidence that children are actually being targetted by this so-called challenge. I have yet to see a single documented case of someone following through on this so-called challenge, even as an experiment. It can't be found, by all accounts.

Bacchus

NIMAN wrote: »

Is there any actual proof that these videos exist?
Could someone provide a link to one for example?

Because I read on a FB post that there was a Peppa Pig and a Fortnite video on You Tube which had the MoMo character in it, but I take everything on FB with a massive pinch of salt cos most people on it post nonsense most of the time.

Well YouTube are now actively scrubbing their content for instances of it and I'd be fairly certain any of the ads featuring Momo have been removed so it might be hard to find now. Also, I don't really feel like watching a bunch of kids cartoons on YouTube hoping to find Momo

Bacchus

Dial Hard wrote: »

Except there's absolutely no evidence that children are actually being targetted by this so-called challenge. I have yet to see a single documented case of someone following through on this so-called challenge, even as an experiment. It can't be found, by all accounts.

It didn't originally target kids but it evolved and people started putting up videos on YouTube that target kids (I don't know about you but I don't regularly watch Peppa Pig on YouTube). There's also reports that certain games apps were affect too (though I'm not sure how that would have happened... seems like a LOT of effort).

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.

NIMAN

Dial Hard wrote: »

Except there's absolutely no evidence that children are actually being targetted by this so-called challenge. I have yet to see a single documented case of someone following through on this so-called challenge, even as an experiment. It can't be found, by all accounts.

It all sounds like fake news to me.:D