The Momo Issues

So if you haven't heard about Momo, then either you haven't been on Facebook the last couple of weeks, or perhaps you don't have kids and your group of friends aren't sharing this sort of hoopla.

In a nutshell there are warnings going around about a character, named Momo, who has managed to infiltrate YouTube video's of popular kids programmes, who then encourages kids to self harm, inflict harm on others, and culminates in suicide. Very scary, right?

Well yeah. If it was real.

The internet is blowing up over a hoax. 

And this isn't the first time, nor will it be the last.

The picture of Momo is actually a picture of a statue by artist Keisuke Aisawa, called “Mother Bird.”

I have kids. And I'm not scared of Momo, even if it was real. Why you ask? Because firstly I make sure I know what my kids are watching. Their dad checks their browser history, and goes through their phones for random checks. They can have their privacy when they're older.

Secondly I talk to my kids all the time about internet safety, about peer pressure, about about the fact that there are sick trolls out there who do stupid stuff. When they were younger they never had open access to the internet, I sat with them at all times. I watched every video and programme they watched to make sure I could vouch for the kid friendliness of the programme, and raise any concerns I might have with them. I kept it interactive. I have made sure that my kids know they can speak to me about anything, judgement free, no matter what.

I want to make sure my girls are able to grow into young adults who can look after themselves, and that they know I will always be a safe place.

As adults we are so used to this world being a scary place, that as we get these warnings I first instinct is to prevent any and all injuries to kids around the world by sharing. And some troll is enjoying a good giggle while we do this.

The biggest thought I have while I see the internet panic about another hoax is that a quick google would have prevented this story from blowing up in the first place.

Fake news, hoaxes, and rubbish (such as new illnesses) makes the rounds because we don't take a minute to google info to verify for ourselves before we share. 

As adults we should be responsible for the information we share. 

Now we have an artist who feels the need to destroy her work of art because of the backlash she is getting from this viral hoax.

Now we have people around the world up in arms to force YouTube to take action against a hoax to protect our children. When protecting our children should be our job to begin with.

Maybe that's why Momo made the impression it did. Is the huge backlash in some way connected to the little inner centre of guilt that our kids are so unsupervised? 

Just my thoughts. 

Hope they spark some thoughts in you.

May harmony find you.