Media Literacy – Week of 3/10/19
First it was Blue Whale Challenge in 2016, now it’s the new and improved Momo Challenge. Nothing much has changed in regard to the dynamic of these online scams, the only difference is the new crop of impressionable minds (our children) that fall victim to this vicious hoax.
As a precaution, the focus in Media Literacy was review (for most) about online safety as students were tasked with creating a Google Slides presentation based on their research conducted on the topic. Students gathered a pretty good idea of what is considered safe and what they should raise an eyebrow about when accosted with online content as they researched facts and tips in five key areas: cell phone safety, chat safety, social networking smarts, texting safety, and personal information.
I would usually post student work for families to peruse, however I think this particular assignment deserves the proper attention – ask your child to show you what they’ve learned about online safety…you might be surprised and learn something new yourself!
Below are three links to articles that offer more background on the Momo Challenge, as well as suggestions on precautions parents can take to ensure their child(s) safety in this ever expanding technological world.
Parents, please stop freaking out over the Momo Challenge, By AJ Willingham and Harmeet Kaur, CNN
Momo is Not Trying to Kill Children, by Taylor Lorenz, The Atlantic
Don’t Panic, What Parents Really Need To Know About ‘Momo Challenge,’ by Andy Robertson, Forbes