Momo Challenge - scaremongering or a real danger?

freshpopcorn

iamwhoiam wrote: »

It might have been better for us way back then if adults had in fact warned us too . Back in my day the momos were all around us , in church , teachers , priests, scout leaders etc . A proactive parent even then might have kept some kids safe . Thankfully parents are more aware now and speak up

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

riffmongous

Uncharted wrote: »

My previous car had a momo steering wheel !!

Should I be worried ???

<chews nails furiously>



:rolleyes:

If I had that ****ing picture on my steering wheel I'd rather walk thanks

whisky_galore

iamwhoiam wrote: »

It might have been better for us way back then if adults had in fact warned us too . Back in my day the momos were all around us , in church , teachers , priests, scout leaders etc . A proactive parent even then might have kept some kids safe . Thankfully parents are more aware now and speak up

Different world. Back then, adults (and especially supposed pillars of the community) were believed over kids who were thought to be making up stories or telling lies. You'd get a clip in the ear from your parents and told not to go telling lies again.

Uncharted

riffmongous wrote: »

If I had that ****ing picture on my steering wheel I'd rather walk thanks

Oh dear.
Whoooooooosh.


That's awkward.

Bacchus

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.

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.

weldoninhio wrote: »

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.

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.

riffmongous

Uncharted wrote: »

Oh dear.
Whoooooooosh.


That's awkward.

It seems the whoosh is on you..

Cee-Jay-Cee

Autecher wrote: »

No reported cases of any kind in Ireland. Facebook, twitter etc.. have gotten no reports on it, the guards state in the article you linked to that they have had no reports on it. It's all bullshít designed to scare and distract from other news.

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.

Uncharted

riffmongous wrote: »

It seems the whoosh is on you..

Hmmmm.

Of course.

Effects

_Brian wrote: »

However there is some merit in the widespread talk as similar apps have been proven causes in many deaths in other countries.

Can you post any proof of this?
All I can find is apps that have actually saved lives.

SteM

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.

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

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.

Bacchus

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

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.