Internet Safety – Update

Dear Parents

You may be aware of a new online game called the Momo Challenge. The game comprises of a video of an animated female character who pops up on sites such as YouTube, and reportedly gives anti-social advice and encourages the viewer to engage in violent and self harming ‘challenges’. Imitation versions of the game have also been reported.

As of Feburary 28, 2019, Netsafe, New Zealand’s independent online safety organisation, have not received any reports of young people in New Zealand taking part in the ‘challenge’. However they are aware that some young people have seen content relating to Momo and have been very upset by the content and imagery.

Under the Harmful Digital Communications Act (HDCA), it is illegal to incite or encourage a person to harm themselves or commit suicide. Accordingly, if your daughter encounters messages of this nature, you are encouraged to report the incident to Netsafe or the New Zealand Police.

It is obviously difficult to know exactly what younger family members are doing online at all times. However there are tell-tale signs the might suggest that they are engaging in inappropriate or potentially harmful content. These include:

• Become very secretive, especially about what they are doing online
• Are spending a lot of time on the internet and social media
• Are switching screens on their device when approached
• Are upset, withdrawn or angry after using the internet or sending text messages
• Have lots of new phone numbers or email addresses on their devices

If you suspect that your daughter has encountered Momo or similarly upsetting online content, Netsafe have provided advice for parents:

• Have a conversation with your child about what to do if they do come across upsetting content online. This involves:
  • telling a parent or teacher
  • reporting the content to the website provider
  • blocking the content,
  • in the case of a crime being committed under the HDCA, report it to Netsafe or the Police
• Let your child know that they can come to you when they find something upsetting and they won’t get in trouble
• Stay calm if they do come to you – don’t assign blame, reassure them that it’s not their fault and don’t punish them for seeking help
• Normalise their feelings – let them know that it is normal to feel scared, confused or upset
• Don’t over-react by taking away the technology – this may make them less likely to talk to you if something else happens
• For young children in particular, consider using parental controls to block out specific keywords like “Momo”. Advice on this can be found here
• If you or your child comes across this type of content report it to the platform that it’s on, such as the YouTube report inappropriate content page
• If you know that your daughter has been engaging in the Momo challenge itself, report it to the Police and Netsafe, and consider contacting a mental health service for support

Further information and useful links relating to safe and ethical digital citizenship for QMC students can be found here.