Post #5

The Momo Challenge

Recently, a trend called “The Momo Challenge” has gone viral. Basically, it is a “game illustrated by a disturbing photograph of a woman, in which participants are blackmailed into completing increasingly dangerous tasks.” It is targeted at children, and is said to have popped up in YouTube videos meant for kids. This is so alarming to parents because it shows that there might actually be something harmful on the internet for their children, and it is so hard to monitor them or prevent them from seeing it. This trend has blew up over social media, and parents everywhere are warning other parents to look after their kids on the internet to make sure they are not watching anything containing the creepy face of “Momo.” The title of this article suggests that the Momo Challenge is actually not a danger to children online, and that is because there is really minimal to no evidence that these videos actually exist online. Upon searching throughout all of YouTube, the Washington Post’s team found no videos of the actual thing, only children’s videos warning kids to look out for other video that might contain the real thing. While I do think this whole trend is silly, I do see why it became so viral. Even for myself, just looking at the face of Momo is creepy. On top of that, parents just want their kids to be safe. Anything that has the possibility of putting their kids in danger will inevitably become popular.