The Momo Challenge

[Captainkidd76]

This is a family board so I am unable to say what I think the authorities should do to the psychotic scum responsible for this.

 

[SirDuff]

Sorry, I didn't see that this had already been corrected.

 

[luvsJack]

Preach. I couldn’t have rolled my eyes harder when I got a letter AND phone call from my kids’ MIDDLE SCHOOL.

Someone posted their kids’ school’s message about this on FB. It said that it’s unclear whether there is any truth to it or it’s just a hoax but they were asked by local law onforcement to send out the message. Basically saying for parents to make sure their kids are safe online. Not really addressing anything different than usual.

Also, it said that the rumor this time is saying the challenge is coming from WhatsApp not YouTube. If that’s what the schools are being told, it would make sense that they would send this out to middle school parents.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Someone posted their kids’ school’s message about this on FB. It said that it’s unclear whether there is any truth to it or it’s just a hoax but they were asked by local law onforcement to send out the message. Basically saying for parents to make sure their kids are safe online. Not really addressing anything different than usual.

Also, it said that the rumor this time is saying the challenge is coming from WhatsApp not YouTube. If that’s what the schools are being told, it would make sense that they would send this out to middle school parents.

It’s just overreaction IMO.

 

[luvsJack]

It’s just overreaction IMO.

It very well may be. I was just saying the difference in YouTube and WhatsApp may be why middle school kids were sent the message from the school. And that at least here, law enforcement asked the schools to do it. So they would be the ones overreacting not the school.

Personally I would rather see over reaction than no reaction when it comes to protecting kids. Middle school kids tend to be more secretive than small kids so I could understand the worry.

My kids are grown but I am always concerned about my grandkids and am happy their parents are proactive about online safety.

 

[CarolAnn856]

This is a family board so I am unable to say what I think the authorities should do to the psychotic scum responsible for this.

You mean whoever came up with the hoax, correct?

 

[galaxygirl76]

I guess its concerning enough that our school district felt the need to send a mass email to all staff regarding the issue. Trying to understand why idiots start these things, whether real or hoax, is beyond comprehension. Part of our twisted society and yet one more layer to help kids natigate through.

We also got an email a few days ago from the district about this and that was the first time I've heard about it.

 

[gotomu212]

Someone posted their kids’ school’s message about this on FB. It said that it’s unclear whether there is any truth to it or it’s just a hoax but they were asked by local law onforcement to send out the message. Basically saying for parents to make sure their kids are safe online. Not really addressing anything different than usual.

Also, it said that the rumor this time is saying the challenge is coming from WhatsApp not YouTube. If that’s what the schools are being told, it would make sense that they would send this out to middle school parents.

I just wish law enforcement would actual verify instead of sending alarmist notes based on rumor. If you are writing an announcement that says the rumor is...maybe you should do a little detective work as part of your police work. The funny thing is that rumor is actually outdated. It started as a WhatsApp rumor out of Latin America last year so it’s just circling back.

An overreaction can still cause a lot of harm and I’m just really shocked the schools, law enforcement, and media have been so irresponsible and created public hysteria with this. I thought they’d all learned their lesson after the killer clown hoaxes of last year.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm really behind the times. I only knew WhatsApp was for texting not videos.

 

[Captainkidd76]

You mean whoever came up with the hoax, correct?

Correct.

 

[luvsJack]

I just wish law enforcement would actual verify instead of sending alarmist notes based on rumor. If you are writing an announcement that says the rumor is...maybe you should do a little detective work as part of your police work. The funny thing is that rumor is actually outdated. It started as a WhatsApp rumor out of Latin America last year so it’s just circling back.

An overreaction can still cause a lot of harm and I’m just really shocked the schools, law enforcement, and media have been so irresponsible and created public hysteria with this. I thought they’d all learned their lesson after the killer clown hoaxes of last year.

I really don’t feel that police need to spend their time doing detective work on a possible rumor that the school states clearly is a possible/probable rumor. Like I said before, it’s very similar to the accounts of people in Walmart scoping out people’s kids. The accounts are not true and I don’t even know how they get posted and shared numerous times BUT that doesn’t mean parents shouldn’t be aware of who is around their kids. That’s basically what the school/police are saying. “Hey, THIS isn’t true, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to be aware of what your kid is doing online and report suspicious activity online”

Parents need to be aware because there are very real predators out there. Maybe not telling them to do things but they are there. No reason for fear, just awareness.

 

[4kids4karen]

I saw the Emperor's New Clothes. His new clothes are beautiful. All of my friends also saw his new clothes and report how grand they are! Of course, if I didn't actually see his new clothes, I am not going to tell my friends that. After all, THEY can see his new clothes, so I must see them too!

Point being, the photo of "Mother Bird" statue by a famous Japanese artist, Midori Hayashi, has been around since 2016. Parents are making a HUGE deal out of it showing their kids and asking questions. Kids are going to the school (daycare) and sharing this info with their kids. Kids are claiming to have seen Momo "crawling" "talking" actually moving like a live person, across their video screen. Not one confirmed video of this has been located or produced.

So of course if I a a kid and everyone in my class saw it, but not me, do you think I am going to tell them I have not? I am going home and googling who is Momo. I am watching the warning videos. Which all of the warning videos or make up "copy cat" videos are STILL SHOT PHOTOS inserted or photo shopped into another video like Peppa Pig. Most are just videos from news stations and not even a YouTube link associated.

Folks, need to chill out. Parents are the ones creating this scare.

By the way, the "deaths" being associated but not confirmed are from Argentina, Brazil, and India. Momo went from speaking Japanese to Spanish, to English.

Uh, Parents please stop! The sky is not falling.

 

[4kids4karen]

Also, the other day, just for the heck of it I found a couple YouTuber's claiming to have reached out to Momo on WhatsApp (because it is an WhatsApp challenge). One started out messaging Momo, then he asked to prove it was the real Momo. Momo sent a voicefile of scratchy garbage gibberish that could not be understood. YouTuber was freaking out saying he could understand it to say "I want to drink your blood", but the third voice file was much longer. The longer file said, "I know you are making a YouTube video and if everyone watching your video doesn't like the video and subscribe to his channel, they were going to die." Ugh. I immediately existed the Video. People are tying to profit (or have individual gain) by making fake videos over all of this hype.


I wonder if these parents freaking out are the same parents who when they had a sleepover all went into the bathroom, turned off the lights, starting spinning in circles saying Bloody Mary, then claim they could see her standing behind them in the mirror.


And I am going to make a prediction... this Halloween there will either be Momo masks, or YouTube make-up videos to make yourself look like Momo. Someone is going to profit.