What We Can Learn From the Momo Challenge

Whether you were browsing the news, listening to your students chat at lunchtime, or talking to your own kids, you might have hear about something called the "Momo Challenge."

This supposed challenge is where a creepy bird-woman appears in the middle of random kids videos (like Peppa Pig) and urges unsuspecting viewers to commit self-harm and even suicide. The good news about this story is many of the original claims and scares about Momo are completely unfounded. Many claim that this social media tidal wave was fueled by a community of scared and reactionary adults who were quick to judge and post unsubstantiated news.

Many reliable media outlets have started reporting about the Momo Challenge hoax. Here is an article in The New York Times about the whole phenomenon, as well as an opinion piece from NBC News and another one in The Washington Post. Common Sense Media has come out with an article that discusses Momo along with other major "challenges" getting online attention, ranging from the fairly innocuous (Mannequin Challenge) to the alarming (Tide Pod Challenge). This week Vicki Davis dedicated an episode of her 10 Minute Teacher podcast to the topic.

This situation highlights the importance of teaching our students, and ourselves, the habits of responsible digital citizenship. We need to monitor young people's use of digital media, while also modeling good habits and providing a safe space for kids to seek out our help when they need it. A digital world demands that we consume content quickly, and we can get overwhelmed and make rash decisions without thinking critically to what we read, watch, and post online. As adults, it's easy for us to get caught up in "isn't it horrible what kids are doing these days" conversations. We don't realize that's its exactly this kind of talk that sometimes prevents opportunities for authentic conversations with kids and discourages them from reaching out for help when they really need it.

In her podcast, Davis outlines a few simple steps we can teach kids to do when they encounter something uncomfortable or inappropriate online:

1. Stop - take a moment to gather thoughts
2. Screenshot - collect evidence
3. Block - if possible, block a social media follower who is posting inappropriately
4. Tell & Share - tell a trusted adult and share screenshots

The Momo Challenge is a hoax, but that doesn't mean it's not real or relevant for educators and students. At the very least, it serves as a reminder about how important it is to educate them about slowing down, thinking critically, and not being afraid to ask for more information or help.