State police say little evidence exists for ‘Momo challenge’
State police addressed “The Momo Challenge” this week, referencing a reported social media phenomenon in which a character with distorted features instructs children to commit acts of violence and self-harm to avoid a “curse.”
“However, while there have been numerous reports of such encounters in the press and on social media, there has been almost no direct evidence that such a challenge exists, no verified reports of children harming themselves or anyone else following the demands of the challenge, and therefore, it seems likely that the Momo Challenge is less of a threat and more of a phenomenon that has simply taken on a life of its own,” state police wrote in a community awareness bulletin.
The challenge apparently started in Latin America last year and spread to the United States through Facebook, according to state police. The source of the challenge and motives have not been determined. In February, new warnings about Momo began circulating on social media.
Police referenced a CBS News story in which a mother claimed her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, exhibited strange behavior including turning on a gas stove without lighting it. The girl reportedly told her mother an online character encouraged her to do dangerous things. Police said the mother’s claims are not verified.
There are credible reports, however, of children seeing inappropriate content on YouTube Kids, including references to self-harm, suicide, sexual abuse, human trafficking and gun violence. YouTube Kids is a platform designed to be safe for children, police said.
Police said adolescents can be particularly vulnerable to prank challenges, focusing on attention they might receive online without weighing the potential risks. While some of these challenges promote charitable causes, others encourage risky activities that can cause serious injury or death. Posting the pranks or challenges leads to more youth participating in them, police said.
Police encouraged parents and guardians to follow safety tips including:
n using parental controls to limit children’s online access to inappropriate content.
n remaining present while children are online.
n bookmarking favorite sites.
n talking with children about appropriate behavior online.
n establishing a plan for who children can talk to if they encounter something that makes them uncomfortable or frightens them.
n ensure children understand not to share personal information online.
n inform children clicking random links or downloading unfamiliar content can spread malware.