The MoMo Challenge has resurfaced and South Florida Schools are once again advising parents about the dangers.
The internet hoax involves a creepy bug-eyed woman encouraging young children to perform harmful or dangerous acts to themselves or others. It is being considered an online suicide game. The Palm Beach County School District has spoken with principals and given them advice on how to deal with the situation. Palm Beach County also has counselors ready all over the area.
Martin County Schools have issued a warning to parents including tips on how to keep them safe.
"Remind your child about the importance of “see something, say something.” Encourage them to come to you, a trusted adult at their school, or their school resource officer if they see a video or photo on the internet that encourages them to harm themselves or others."
The Martin County Schools statement can be read in it's entirely below.
IMPORTANT INTERNET SAFETY UPDATE: MOMO CHALLENGE
***Attention Martin County Parents***
As you may be aware, a number of stories have appeared in local and national news lately about something called the "Momo Challenge.” “Momo” is essentially a form of cyberbullying that parents have reported seeing on social media platforms used by children – Instagram, WhatsApp and even YouTube Kids. Parents have shared that a scary, bird-like female figure is appearing out of nowhere while children are watching videos on these platforms and encouraging them to harm themselves or others.
We are alarmed by this latest internet scheme that appears to specifically target our youngest population. The safety of our students will always be our top priority here in the Martin County School District, so we want to share a few important tips with you that will help you talk with your child about internet safety.
- Remind your child about the importance of “see something, say something.” Encourage them to come to you, a trusted adult at their school, or their school resource officer if they see a video or photo on the internet that encourages them to harm themselves or others.
- Remind them that their personal information is just that – personal. They should never give out their name, address, phone number or any confidential information to anyone outside of their family, law enforcement or an employee of their school. Let them know that they should alert you immediately if they are ever asked to give out this type of information while surfing the internet or using apps on a phone or tablet.
- Set privacy restrictions on the devices your child has access to in your home. There are numerous apps available in the Google Play and App Stores that will let you limit what sites and apps your child is able to access, as well as set time limits for device usage.
- Monitor what your child is doing online. YouTube Kids is a popular platform that is viewed by many of our youngest children, which presents a prime opportunity for hackers, criminals and other unsavory characters to try and interact with kids. Make sure that you know what your child is watching – the Momo Challenge has been known to “pop up” in cartoon shows, such as Peppa Pig, as well as in the popular Fortnite videos.
- Keep the conversation going. Trends and viral challenges can be tempting for children to take part in, no matter how dangerous or scary they may seem. Please speak with your child about peer pressure, and how they should never do anything they are uncomfortable with whether online or offline. If they are unsure about what they are hearing or being asked to do, encourage them to talk to you or another trusted adult.
The safety of our children will always be the top priority of the Martin County School District. We appreciate your commitment to your child’s education, as well as to school and internet safety. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the leadership team at your child's school.
Source: CBS 12, Martin Schools.org