THERE is no evidence “that the Momo phenomenon is posing a threat to British children,” the leader of the House of Commons told MPs yesterday.
For days now, the terrifying tale of a strange internet creature with an elongated face, and bulging eyes, who encourages children to hurt themselves, has dominated tabloids and social media, sending mums and dads into a panic.
According to the reports, children are contacted by an account claiming to be Momo and told to carry out challenges, which are often violent. One often repeated claim is that the game is linked to 130 suicides in Russia.
Articles about Momo have dominated Facebook this week, being shared more than any other news story.
But it is all seemingly a hoax with children’s charities warning that the media coverage risks making something out of nothing, and could now be at danger of causing harm.
A Samaritans spokesperson was critical of the press, saying: “These stories being highly publicised and starting a panic means vulnerable people get to know about it and that creates a risk.
“Currently we’re not aware of any verified evidence in this country or beyond linking Momo to suicide.
“What’s more important is parents and people who work with children concentrate on broad online safety guidelines.”
There is also no evidence to link the game to 130 deaths in Russia.
The NSPCC said they have received more phone calls about Momo from members of the media than they had parents.
“Even though it’s done with best intentions, publicising this issue has only piqued curiosity among young people,” Kat Tremlett, harmful content manager at the UK Safer Internet Centre told The Guardian.
Tremlett said she was now hearing of children who are “white with worry”.
“It’s a myth that is perpetuated into being some kind of reality,” she added.
Fear of Momo has led to schools and the police warning Scottish parents to be on the lookout.
Yesterday it was even raised in the Commons, by the Scottish Tory MP Douglas Ross, who urged the Government to hold a debate on the “Momo challenge”.
Andrea Leadsom told him it was an “appalling situation” but that while “more needs to be done to protect young people online, including from cyberbullying and suicide and self-harm content” there was “no confirmed evidence that the Momo phenomenon is posing a threat to British children”.
The current scare has been traced back to a single warning, posted by a mum on a Facebook group for residents of Westhoughton, a small town near Bolton.
This post, based on an anecdote she had heard from her son at school, went viral before being picked up
by her local newspaper and then covered by outlets from around the world.
Chief Inspector Scott Tees from the Police Scotland Safer Communities Unit urged concerned parents “not to panic, but instead sit down with their children and talk about all aspects of their online world and explain the potential dangers.”
The image of Momo is reportedly a photo of a sculpture by Japanese special-effects company Link Factory.
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