THE latest parental panic on social media over an alleged online challenge for kids to carry out harmful tasks lifts up the importance of establishing an open dialogue with children and taking advantage of online parental controls.
Cautions about the “Momo Challenge” flocked on Facebook and other platforms in recent days, as the nation worried about some supposed videos that encourage children to do a series of harmful challenges ending in suicide, without telling their parents.
Fact-checking site Snopes says the challenge first appeared in mid-2018 linked to suicide reports without actual evidences.
The parental warnings were accompanied by a really disturbing image of a grinning creature with matted hair and bulging eyes. Which I later learned from a friend that it is actually an image of the “Mother Bird” sculpture from a Japanese special effects company Link Factory.
But what’s important now is that we can all loosen a bit more as the challenge was officially dismissed to be a sensationalized hoax meant to cause fears among parents. (Although it’s still unclear how many videos exist or to what extent they have circulated, among children or elsewhere)
Nonetheless, the great thing about this? It has reminded parents and the public to remain vigilant about our children’s online activities.
***
Need more tips in life, career and beyond? Invite me to speak in your event or reach me at "Coach Pat de Leon" on Facebook.