DICT probes source of ‘momo challenge’

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Thursday said that is probing the wide-ranging web to dig into the issue of the "momo challenge" which sows fears among some parents of cyber-active children.

"We are now gathering information, monitoring the surface web, the deep web and the dark web as to the source of this momo challenge," DICT Assistant Secretary Alan Cabanlong said in an interview on GMA Super Radyo dzBB.

He explained that the nature of the online dare to inflict harm on oneself and others was not very new, as the Blue Whale challenge which originated from Russia also entered the online community a few years back.

The children, while surfing the net, are redirected to a messaging application where the harmful commands are given. If not followed, the targets receive threats, he added.

YouTube has recently released a statement saying that it has not seen any indication of the "momo challenge" in their platform.

Coordination with Facebook, on the other hand, have also been made by the DICT.

Cabanlong said that any suspicious content which may be attributed to the risky challenge may be reported and the Facebook management will take it down.

Further, he added that the DICT has launched a digital parenting campaign in 2017 where cyber issues are being discussed by stakeholders.

"We regulate the cyberspace, we make sure that the cyberspace is safe and secured for use by our citizens," Cabanlong said.

He also urged the parents to exercise responsible monitoring of the children's online activities, rather than completely block their access to the website because this may further aggravate them to sneak into the web.

"The parents should really monitor closely their children, especially 'yung busy parents," he said, noting that applications for parental supervision are already available for convenient use. —Dona Magsino/ LDF, GMA News