Due to the "Momo Challenge" resurfacing in news across the U.S. in January, OSPF wants to issue a warning to community members and parents about this new “game”, and how to appropriately talk about it with others. The Momo Challenge is similar to the Blue Whale Challenge, a potentially dangerous internet game that gained worldwide headlines last year.

As a part of the Momo Challenge, children and young adults are contacted by an anonymous avatar called "Momo" via an online app and instructed to participate in a series of tasks, sometimes escalating to violence and self-harm, including suicide. Participants are also reportedly asked to provide photo proof of their acts.

Even though there have been no direct links to suicide attempts or deaths via the Momo Challenge, it is still wise to learn about this emerging trend and how you can appropriately respond to youth suicidality, as well as discuss this challenge with others in your community on social media and/or other outlets.

It is very important to discuss suicide in a safe, responsible manner both publicly and privately in order to reduce the likelihood of presenting false and/or potentially harmful information. This is because misrepresenting information about suicide attempts or suicide deaths can increase the likelihood of suicide contagion (i.e. copycat suicides). Use the link below to Read the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Safe and Effective Messaging for Suicide Prevention. This resource provides easy-to-follow guidance for first responders, schools, and other community organizations seeking to raise awareness of the Momo Challenge and discuss its content in a helpful manner:

https://www.sprc.org/sites/default/files/migrate/library/SafeMessagingrevised.pdf

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