The Film and Publication Board (FPB) on Thursday urged parents to be vigilant and closely monitor their children’s online activities, especially games downloaded on various App stores or from other online sources.
The Acting CEO of the Board Dr Maria Motabeng says they are aware of the game called the Momo Challenge, which is a form of cyberbullying targeting young children.
She says it encourages self-harm and may lead to suicide.
What is the Momo challenge?
It appears as a scary image on online platforms with requests for the user to contact 'Momo' on WhatsApp through one of several contact numbers. Reports claim that the character instructs children to complete challenges that they must keep secret or 'Momo' will kill them.
FPB online monitors conducted a search on legitimate and known App stores and were unable to find reference to the game. However, there is a possibility that the game may be shared on a peer-to-peer basis.
Parents and guardians are therefore urged to monitor their children’s devices and report such content on the FPB hotline number
0800 148 148 or
www.fpbhotline.org.za
In the last week, a mother's post went viral on Facebook where she also warned parents about videos for the popular "Pepper Pig" that is not from the original creators.
YouTube has meanwhile denied any involvement in the Momo Challenge and called it a hoax.
