Parents are still being sent concerning warnings about the "Momo challenge", even as it becomes more and more clear their children are not in any obvious danger.
There have been no confirmed reports of any actual connection between the character and any of the behaviour it is said to encourage, such as self-harm. Though the image is now becoming widespread and people may be taking part in copycat campaigns, charities have warned that the concern over the image is probably doing more damage than the meme itself.
Now the concern has spread so widely that an MP has asked the government what it intends to do about the image. The government said there was "no confirmed evidence" that the image posed a threat, but that it was concerned about other online harms.
“We’ve been very clear that more needs to be done to protect young people online, including from cyber-bullying and suicide and self-harm content, and internet companies do have a responsibility to their users.
“The forthcoming online harms white paper will set out a range of legislative and non-legislative measures to keep UK users safe online.
“In the case of Momo, organisations including the Samaritans, the NSPCC and the Safer Internet Centre have said there is no confirmed evidence the Momo phenomenon is posing a threat to British children.”
Despite that denial and many others from charities, schools around the country are still sending letters to concerned parents spreading worry about the trend.
Many of the letters state the reports about Momo entirely as fact. One example, seen by The Independent and given to primary school students in Surrey, gives a detailed account of the urban myth.
"The videos feature Momo, (a haunting character with bulging eyes) and the challenge involves being dared to message the girl in the picture," it claims. It goes on to say that the girl will start sending fun messages which will gradually get darker, and eventually include "acts of violence and self-harm through a series of progressively risky challenges."
Many of the letters also make reference to claims the Momo image is being edited into YouTube videos for children, such as those about Peppa Pig and Fortnite. YouTube has said there is no evidence of such videos actually appearing on its platform – though the site is now full of the image, as huge numbers of videos about the hoax flood the site.
