YouTube Kids

[Jammy31]

I remember this doing the rounds on YouTube a few years back.

It's just a cropped picture of what was originally a sculpture from a Japanese artist I believe.

However, I'm really not sure how it's managed to creep its way back onto YouTube and into the UK! Surely there's something WhatsApp and YouTube can do?

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by 3disneykids

I really don't see how small children can make this up. It is not people quoting friends of friends stories. People know children who have witnessed these videos. Either way I would rather be safe than sorry.
I can't say that it is widespread as I only know one child personally that has described this but what I can say is I can't believe it is a hoax.
Even if it isn't widespread it is never a bad time to have internet safety highlighted for both children and adults.

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Read the article.

It does not say that the YouTube videos featuring the Momo character are hoaxes. Those do exist. As it says in the article: "unofficial copies of cartoons such as Peppa Pig have been uploaded to YouTube with footage of "momo" edited in".

However, what the article points out is that the reports of children being contacted by Momo and then asked to carry out challenges leading to harming themselves are fake. There have been no reports of that happening. The Momo challenges and suicide games do not exist.

The thing is, the rumours about these Momo challenges and the media coverage of these supposed suicide games is actually causing more harm than any footage of Momo has. The fake news is causing distress to children.

Of course, parents should generally educate their children about internet safety and make sure they are aware of what their children are watching. And as it says at the end of the article "parents should also be careful about sharing news articles with other adults that perpetuate the myth".

[3disneykids]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Read the article.

It does not say that the YouTube videos featuring the Momo character are hoaxes. Those do exist. As it says in the article: "unofficial copies of cartoons such as Peppa Pig have been uploaded to YouTube with footage of "momo" edited in".

However, what the article points out is that the reports of children being contacted by Momo and then asked to carry out challenges leading to harming themselves are fake. There have been no reports of that happening. The Momo challenges and suicide games do not exist.

The thing is, the rumours about these Momo challenges and the media coverage of these supposed suicide games is actually causing more harm than any footage of Momo has. The fake news is causing distress to children.

Of course, parents should generally educate their children about internet safety and make sure they are aware of what their children are watching. And as it says at the end of the article "parents should also be careful about sharing news articles with other adults that perpetuate the myth".

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Of course it is a hoax obviously it's not real but I believe that it is not innocent and has been done in a malicious manner (just my opinion of course). I am sure if there were suicides due to this they would have been well publicised. Putting fear into children or potentially encouraging self harm is not to be taken lightly imo. Describing this to a child is not acceptable but as an adult I am able to process this information as I know the different between fact and fiction. Children are more gullible and believe this is real.
I'm not even saying that anyone is talking to children via momo (although hackers are capable of all sorts) .
All I know is that at least a recorded message is coming up to young children that is scaring them. I personally feel knowledge is power.
If I can pre-warn my children of 'silly' things like this then hopefully they will not be traumatised that is just my personal parental take on this and I appreciate others don't view things in the same way. I would rather have discussed this with my children and minimise what it is and leave an open dialogue so they know they can discuss any fears if any scary information is passed around the school playground.
All sorts of news articles are shared regularly and it is for each adult to take that information and use it or not.
I also agree that all the media coverage and scaremongering the media do is not particularly helpful to the situation but whatever news article I read I will only take fact and knowledge when basing a judgement on a situation not the media as I never know what to believe from news stories

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by 3disneykids

I am sure if there were suicides due to this they would have been well publicised.

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That's the thing - there were news reports of children supposedly taking their own lives because of this "Momo challenge". However, those reports were fake news. See the following from the Sun and Daily Mail as examples:

thesun/news/847600...ing-kill-beds/

dailymail/news/art...kill-them.html

There were also lots of other "reports" online of this Momo challenge and it spreading to the UK. But the Momo suicide games are a hoax. There is no Momo suicide game challenge. It is not spread on WhatsApp and Facebook.

(And I apologise for potentially spreading this further by posting links to Sun and Daily Mail articles).

[3disneykids]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

That's the thing - there were news reports of children supposedly taking their own lives because of this "Momo challenge". However, those reports were fake news. See the following from the Sun and Daily Mail as examples:

archive.is/UaFFo

archive.is/qedpD

There were also lots of other "reports" online of this Momo challenge and it spreading to the UK. But it was a hoax.

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If I know someone personally or experience something personally then I base my judgement on fact. I haven't seen these reports but wouldn't take it seriously unless I knew it was a fact. phrases like
Back in September A 12-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy in Colombia are said to have killed themselves after playing the a suicide challenge game on WhatsApp.
are not conclusive and therefore are not fact. It is for a reader to understand this as the papers print all sorts of garbage.
That is 'fake' news but the fact that this 'thing' is talking to children is clearly not.Either way I think we both agree that this should be carefully reported on but that doesn't 'sell newspapers'.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by 3disneykids

If I know someone personally or experience something personally then I base my judgement on fact. I haven't seen these reports but wouldn't take it seriously unless I knew it was a fact. phrases like
Back in September A 12-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy in Colombia are said to have killed themselves after playing the a suicide challenge game on WhatsApp.
are not conclusive and therefore are not fact. It is for a reader to understand this as the papers print all sorts of garbage.
That is 'fake' news but the fact that this 'thing' is talking to children is clearly not.Either way I think we both agree that this should be carefully reported on but that doesn't 'sell newspapers'.

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Oh, I know it’s not true. That’s what I said. I was responding to your comment that suicides were not well publicised. They were. But those reports were wrong. As you say, news media print all sorts of garbage. And then people repost it on the internet. Because people see it everywhere then they believe it, especially if they are worried their children might be in danger.

Also, it seems some news sites are saying reports that Momo is on YouTube is a hoax too. YouTube themselves have said “contrary to press reports, we’ve not received any recent evidence of videos showing or promoting the Momo challenge on YouTube”. So this “thing” is not talking to children.

I don’t agree that this particular Momo issue should be reported on - because it’s a hoax. However, I do believe parents should monitor what their children watch online. But it seems they don’t have to worry about Momo challenges.

[3disneykids]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Oh, I know it’s not true. That’s what I said. I was responding to your comment that suicides were not well publicised. They were. But those reports were wrong. As you say, news media print all sorts of garbage. And then people repost it on the internet. Because people see it everywhere then they believe it, especially if they are worried their children might be in danger.

Also, it seems some news sites are saying reports that Momo is on YouTube is a hoax too. YouTube themselves have said “contrary to press reports, we’ve not received any recent evidence of videos showing or promoting the Momo challenge on YouTube”. So this “thing” is not talking to children.

I don’t agree that this particular Momo issue should be reported on - because it’s a hoax. However, I do believe parents should monitor what their children watch online. But it seems they don’t have to worry about Momo challenges.

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I was saying that there haven't been any confirmed suicides merely insinuations so they haven't said
'John Doe from the planet Mars had died after momo encouraged him to take his on life' that would be the reporting of a suicide imo ) based on true facts.Therefore there have been no official reports regarding this.
I am really shocked that You tube are denying any knowledge of this not lol.
They don't want their heavily lined pockets being affected by this and would rather protect themselves than the children this may affect.
People post lots of things on the internet each individual can decide whether or not to read it or take notice of it.

I think it is time to agree to disagree. We all want what is best for our children and feel like we can protect them in different ways

[Lu Lu]

Sorry to jump on this thread, I don’t want to take it off topic but as it’s already here I thought I’d try this thread before starting a new one.

My 11 yr old son has just gone back to bed after coming down in floods of tears and really scared because a friend of his has sent him a momo picture saying it’s going to kill him!

We have explained that it’s not real and tried to assure him as much as we can but the whole thing has got me really cross.

I think I ought to text the friends mum to let her know but am going to wait until tomorrow as feeling angry at the moment and don’t want my text to come across badly. I am sure it’s not been sent with any malicious intent but it’s just his parents not knowing what he’s sending that upsets me. I keep a very close eye on my sons phone but know that this can be hard to do so am potentially overreacting and overprotecting my baby!

Do you think I should say something and if I do how do I word a text that doesn’t sound accusatory?

All of this is a scary first glimpse into the things we’ll have to deal with as parents! I just said to him the internet is amazing for so many reasons but also horrible for lots of others!

[TC Devon]

Well I ve one terrified little girl. Not seen momo, entirely oblivious until a child in her class told her all about it, scary stories etc. Told her if she told us about it then momo would kill her in her sleep. So asd girl had the biggest melt down of her life, in school- first one at school. Teacher told me. She’s not sleeping, eating. Eventually did tell us, would nt go into detail. We discussed at length that it’s not real and nothing will hurt her. This has nt helped. She’s terrified. It’s like a seed of worry has been planted and she can’t shake it off. Won’t be left alone. Having to sleep with her.

[THE WIZARD]

Dear God reading that about 'becoming a Fire Fairy by turning on the gas is sick beyond belief ! I'd like half and hour alone with some of these sicko's they sure wouldn't do it again - evil b######s