DepEd to parents: Keep open communication with your kids

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from monitoring children’s online activity, the Department of Education (DepEd) has advised parents and guardians to maintain communication with their children in the wake of so-called “Momo Challenge” online that aims to cause harm to kids.

In a statement on Thursday, DepEd said “open communication” between parents/guardians and children will enable and encourage the latter to express themselves on matters that may be deemed uncomfortable.

“Parents and guardians are urged to maintain an open communication with their children, educate them about responsible online behavior, monitor what they access online, and help them understand that their parents and guardians are the foremost people they can trust about matters that make them feel uncomfortable, coerced, or unsafe,” the statement read.

The infamous Momo challenge features an image of a woman with bulging eyes, long black hair, and bird’s legs. The game purportedly tells the viewer – mostly children – to commit acts that could harm themselves.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde earlier called on parents to carefully watch over their children’s internet use, a report by Radyo INQUIRER said.

“Sa ating mga magulang, kailangan po siguro bantayan natin ang ating mga anak rito. Siguro ang kailangan dito is ‘yung talagang magabayan ang mga anak lalo na kapag sila ay wala sa atin, nandun sa mga schools,” the report quoted Albayalde as saying.

Meanwhile, Google-owned video sharing platform YouTube said there were no videos on its platform that promote the online game contrary to what some netizens claimed.

We want to clear something up regarding the Momo Challenge: We’ve seen no recent evidence of videos promoting the Momo Challenge on YouTube. Videos encouraging harmful and dangerous challenges are against our policies.

— YouTube (@YouTube) February 27, 2019

“We want to clear something up regarding the Momo Challenge: We’ve seen no recent evidence of videos promoting the Momo Challenge on YouTube. Videos encouraging harmful and dangerous challenges are against our policies,” Youtube said in a tweet on Thursday. /kga

RELATED STORY

Parents urged to keep kids off deadly Momo challenge, Blue Whale challenge