Momo ‘suicide game’ now targeting kids via Minecraft and Youtube US cop fears after it was linked to death of 12-year-old girl in Argentina
The terrifying bird-woman icon associated with Momo has been added by 'modders' who create personalised content for Minecraft, an online game that is wildly popular with kids and teens
THE MOMO "suicide game" that has been linked to the death of at least one child has now appeared on Minecraft and YouTube, it is feared.
The terrifying bug-eyed woman symbol first spotted on Whatsapp versions of vile game appears to have been added to Minecraft by "modders" who create personalised content for the hugely popular online game.
The Minecraft modification adds the macabre avatar for Momo to a character that chases players around holding a mobile phone showing the Whatsapp icon.
Momo is believed to have started on Whatsapp messaging platform, encouraging youngsters to contact a mysterious number that then bombards the 'player' with violent images.
The "controller" then encourages them to take part in a series of challenges which is feared to include a chilling final order for the child to take their own life.
Suspected Momo-related incidents have been reported around the world, with the death of a 12-year-old girl in Argentina being directly linked to the game by police.
SAFETY NET: How to keep your child safe online
The Internet can be an amazing tool to help children learn and play.
But with the digital world changing all the time, how can you make sure your child is safe?
Set up parental controls
- Parental controls can be used to block upsetting or harmful content, control in-app purchases or manage how long your child spends online
- The filters can help control what time of day your child can go online, and to stop them from downloading apps they are too young for
Talk to your children
- Have regular conversations about what your child is doing online
- Explore sites and apps together
- Talk about what personal information they should share online
- Create a family agreement about what behaviour is appropriate when they are online
Do your research
- Check through websites your child will use through the
- Change privacy settings and turning off location sharing
If you need help now, you can phone experts on the free NSPCC & O2 helpline 0808 800 5002
"That came from something simple, that kids all like doing this Minecraft stuff and watching the videos on how to play it and here it comes up in the search."
FOR KIDS: How to say no
It can sometimes be hard to stand up to your friends, so Childline offers the following tips on how to say no:
1) Say it with confidence:
Be assertive. It’s your choice and you don’t have to do something which makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
2) Try not to judge them:
By respecting their choices, they should respect yours.
3) Spend time with friends who can say ‘no’:
It takes confidence and courage to say no to your friends. Spend time with other friends who also aren’t taking part.
4) Suggest something else to do:
If you don’t feel comfortable doing what your friends are doing, suggest something else to do.
Any child worried about peer pressure or online worries can contact on 0800 1111.
Officers suspect someone encouraged her to take her own life and are investigating an unidentified 18-year-old teenager believed to have been in contact with the girl.
A police statement said: "The phone has been hacked to find footage and WhatsApp chats, and now the alleged adolescent with whom she exchanged those messages is being sought.”
They added they believe the teenager's “intention was to upload the video to social media as part of a challenge crediting the Momo game" for the suicide.
Authorities in Europe have also started an information campaign to warn youngsters and parents about Momo.
Parents are being told that Momo could be the next Blue Whale – a vile and dangerous social media game linked to at least 130 teen deaths across Russia.
Blue Whale is a horrifying social media phenomenon where youngsters were encouraged to undertake horrific daily tasks including self-harming, watching horror films and waking up at unusual hours.
The tasks, issued by manipulative social media users, escalate until the 50th day when youngsters are told to kill themselves.
A spokesman for Youtube said: “YouTube’s Community Guidelines prohibit content that's intended to encourage dangerous activities that have an inherent risk of physical harm or death.
“We remove flagged videos that violate our policies.”
And a spokesperson for Microsoft, the developer of Minecraft, said: "This content, which was independently developed by a third party, does not align with our values and is not part of the official Minecraft game.
"This is a misuse of the platform and we are taking action to restrict access to the mod."
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