Momo Suicide Challenge – A Suicide Game on Whatsapp That’s As Dangerous As the Blue Whale Challenge of 2017
A disturbing new suicide game named Momo Suicide Challenge has reportedly been spreading on Whatsapp and claiming lives.
Suicide is becoming a major bane in the modern-day India. According to reports, the country contributes to 17 percent of the global cases of suicides. The World Health Organization states that the most vulnerable are the ones between the ages of 15 to 29. And today, a new kind of menace is poised to add to India’s suicide crisis – technology. And one of its recent examples is the deadly Momo Suicide Challenge. Last year, it was the Blue Whale Challenge, which claimed a number of young lives worldwide. The Momo Suicide Challenge, much like its predecessor, has apparently caused the deaths through a sinister online game. These Facts About Suicide Cases in India Highlight The Importance of Promoting Mental Health Awareness.
Momo is the name of a social media account with a presence on all social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube. The viral game is tied with an unsettling image of a woman with grotesque features. It asks people to add a contact via WhatsApp—they are urged to commit self-harm or suicide. According to the Computer Investigation Unit in Tabasco, Mexico, the violent game started on Facebook where members were challenged to communicate with an unknown number. Several users reported that Momo responds with violent images and players are threatened if they refuse to follow the game’s orders.
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Momo is explained as similar to last year’s Blue Whale Challenge, a social media group that led to reports of 130 suicides in Russia. The grotesque avatar of the woman with bulging eyes has been created Japanese artist Midori Hayashi, with no such intention. Police officials informed that the image was taken from an Instagram account before circulating on WhatsApp messenger. A report by Buenos Aires Times, Momo is now under suspension for a possible connection to the suicide of a 12-year-old girl in Argentina. Based on footage and messages on WhatsApp, police are currently working to locate an 18-year-old who is believed to have met online.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2018 06:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).