- This post contains content that might be distressing.
In the cyber age that we live in, it is common practice to offer our children an iPad or other tablets to relax and pass time while watching YouTube. Most parents find YouTube videos educational and the videos that are not educational are at least harmless. In the past weeks, however, that has proven not to be the case.
The MOMO challenge is dangerous online trend where a woman with long black hair and swollen eyes appears in the middle of YouTube videos (Peppa Pig for example) aimed for children. MOMO then dares the children to do a dangerous task. Some children report being told to take pills in the middle of the nights and others were shown examples of how to kill themselves.
YouTube has made the official statement of “Contrary to press reports, we’ve not received any recent evidence of videos showing or promoting the Momo challenge on YouTube. Content of this kind would be in violation of our policies and removed immediately.”
At the end of the day, the safety of your children is the number one concern to us at Exult Healthcare. According to kidshealth.org, there are ways to keep your children safe while using the internet. They suggest:
- Monitoring your child while they engage in online activity
- Turning on the safe search on all devices
- Adding additional software such as parental blocks, to keep your children safe.
References:
Gibbs, Adrienne. “YouTube Kids Denies Presence Of Momo Challenge On Its Service, So What’s A Parent To Do?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 28 Feb. 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/adriennegibbs/2019/02/28/youtube-kids-denies-presence-of-momo-challenge-so-whats-a-parent-to-do/#16708ef95dfd.
Internet Safety (for Parents).” Edited by Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, Kids Health, The Nemours Foundation, Apr. 2018, kidshealth.org/en/parents/net-safety.html.
Written by Aly Bowles – Social Media Coordinator
