This important guest blog post is authored by current 3L and Family Law student Ashley Hughes:
In today’s world new challenges flood social media constantly enticing individuals to engage in activities that range from silly to dangerous. From the “cinnamon challenge” to the “backpack challenge” to the “Tide Pod challenge” children are constantly discovering new ways to influence each other over social media. A recently resurfaced challenge known as “the Momo challenge” brings a whole new level of danger and control over the targeted audience, which in this instance are children. Momo is a bit of a taboo-horror figure which attracts kids. Originally a Japanese statue, Momo has bulging eyes, a chilling smile and jet-black hair on a bird’s body.
In essence, the Momo challenge is operated through the WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned messaging app largely popular in the United Kingdom. Children contact “Momo” by sending it a message through the app, with Momo then responding with various tasks for children to complete to prevent them from being cursed. Many of the given tasks have an element of self-harm, and also require photographic proof of completion in or to satisfy Momo. By the end of the “game” Momo tells the child to commit suicide.
As of now, there do not appear to be any reports of child suicide in the United States connected to The Momo challenge, however there have been reported incidents of child-produced videos on YouTube containing hidden instructions for how children could commit suicide. One report from a pediatrician in Florida, Dr. Hess, noted suicide instruction videos have been found in various YouTube videos targeted towards children. Such videos have not gone unnoticed, and YouTube has commented that it strives to “ensure the videos in YouTube Kids are family-friendly and take feedback very seriously.”
Suicide on its own is an extremely alarming societal concern, but it is especially alarming when social media challenges, such as the Momo challenge, and YouTube Kids videos encourage children to commit suicide. The question then becomes “What can we do to combat it?”
Dr. Hess has noted that YouTube has improved in removing questionable videos, but regardless the harm could have occurred due to children having already viewing the videos. The responsibility does not solely fall on YouTube and other social media platforms to address these concerns. In recent years parents have arguably taken a more hands-off approach to raising children, leaving children to go deeper into the online world.
The family can make all the difference here. Encouraging an open dialogue between parents and children would allow these dangerous challenges and videos to be addressed at a much quicker pace, and on a much more helpful and personal level. Such dialogue would also give parents the opportunity to engage with their children about the topic of suicide and whether their children struggle with feelings that would lead them to entertaining something like the Momo challenge or the clips in YouTube videos.
The Momo challenge and YouTube videos essentially serve to emphasize how media has intertwined itself into children’s lives today, and the importance that strong family support has in addressing such concerns. With open dialogue, understanding, and support, the Momo challenge and YouTube videos should become nothing more than a way for parents to take a more active role in their children’s lives - as well as showing their children the dangers present in the world today, even virtually.
Awareness of these alarming trends gives us knowledge. Knowledge is power. Power to identify what we must do to protect the vulnerable from those who would do them harm. Protect the innocent who stumbles upon a video or picture that plays to their innocence and drags them into a silent, isolated abyss. A person may only be aware of the screen they hold in front of them. It may be the only connection they make during the day. We can use social media to increase awareness of all that is good and shine the light on all that is harmful. The bible states in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."(KJV) Thank you for shedding light on this situation.
ReplyDeleteRobin S. Ireland
Challenges like this often make me wonder how frequent children are actually persuaded. I consistently had this thought when the Tide Pods scandal broke out. After I watched hoards of people a generation older than me use it against the younger generation at nauseating lengths, I wondered if this was just todays version of rock n' roll. To elaborate, an older generation frequently has some disgruntled feelings about the way youth are managing themselves and forget the place they were in at that age. In the 50's rock n' roll created moral panics, in the 70's it was the free love movement, and as the internet has risen, an entire pre-internet generation is concerned about the mind melting effects of screens.
ReplyDeleteWhen the whole eating Tide pods scandal broke out, I heard about it over and over and over but never saw it happen with my own eyes. So I took to my own social media to ask which of my Facebook friends had actually seen a child eat a tide pod, and if they saw a video online, how many were 100% certain they did not watch a hoax video created for "shares." Several people engaged with the post. While my 1,913 Facebook friends only account for 0.0006% of Americans, only one person could say they legitimately saw a teenager eat a Tide pod and full disclosure this person is a social worker who saw this occur in a residential facility for mentally unstable juveniles.
Facebook is known for its hoaxes, clickbait, and "fake news." On any given large-scale post you have thousands of experts chiming in with citations that all contradict one another. At this point in my life, I am convinced that no matter what stance you take on an issue, no matter how irrational the stance is, you can google and find at least one web source that will support your position. Google "lose weight eating ice cream" and you will find pages on pages supporting that an ice cream diet will make you lose as much as 35 lbs. from sites that seem extremely reputable.
What is my point? the Momo posts were shared a lot, but I am glad this post points out that there are no reported suicides that occurred in relation to this video. This post is also on point to say that family makes all the difference. Parents should not need to fear if this is going to happen under the tip of their nose. Sit down with you children and have family dinner several nights a week. Take family time as the opportunity to hear if your kids are even aware of these crazy hoaxes. If they are aware, have a non-leading conversation about their opinion and determine where you can address misconceptions about health and safety in your home.
We are at a point in society where sheltering children from media is impossible and detrimental when attempted. How we handle this is open dialogue within the family.
Technology has advanced quite a bit since these children's parents were young. Older generations may not completely understand the dangerous elements of the internet, and allow their children unrestricted access to every corner. For an example, there are anonymous message boards where shooters have visited before committing mass killings. This is a great opportunity for parents to sit down with their children and discuss their access and use of the internet.
ReplyDelete