A serious risk to children has been identified regarding an on line game which is surfacing again. This ‘game’ is called Momo which is a new iteration of the Blue Whale game that was prevalent 2 years ago. This is a game that originated overseas and does not require any special software or downloads  outside of a messaging system which makes it far more dangerous.

The person contacts children via social media apps and in this particular iteration via WhatsApp. They are asked to add ‘Momo’ to their friends and engage with this avatar. Once they begin engaging they are asked to complete challenges with the final stage being suicide. In some cases the users private information is hacked and this is used to blackmail and manipulate them even further in to the game.

Please be aware that the name Momo is also that of a character in a children’s show, Avatar: The last Airbender.

Below are two links to sites that will help inform you of the risks. The first is in regards to a nine news story about the initial incidents occurring overseas and how the game is run and the second is in regards to what measures parents can take if a child has engaged and show signs of having been manipulated by Blue Whale or Momo.

Regards

Judy Herman

Guidance Officer