{"id":26306,"date":"2022-04-06T20:43:56","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T20:43:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esinsolito.com\/huggy-wuggy-police-warning-prompts-misleading-rumors-about-tiktok-and-youtube-kids\/"},"modified":"2022-04-06T20:43:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T20:43:56","slug":"huggy-wuggy-police-warning-prompts-misleading-rumors-about-tiktok-and-youtube-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esinsolito.com\/huggy-wuggy-police-warning-prompts-misleading-rumors-about-tiktok-and-youtube-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Huggy Wuggy Police Warning Prompts Misleading Rumors About TikTok and YouTube Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On April 1, 2022, the English website Dorset.live published<\/a> the following headline about \u201cvery distressing\u201d videos that were said to have been floating around on TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, and YouTube Kids<\/a>: \u201cDorset Police warning about Huggy Wuggy bear that is singing songs about killing.\u201d It referred to Huggy Wuggy<\/a>, a furry, blue, tall, and sharp-toothed character in a 2021 survival horror video game titled, \u201cPoppy Playtime.\u201d It was developed by MOB Games and is rated \u201c12+\u201d on iOS and \u201cTeen\u201d on Android, meaning that it was deemed to be suitable for teenagers.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of moving parts to this story. First, it is true that there have been a limited number of reports<\/a> from some parents in the U.K. who said that their children had been reciting phrases from unofficial online videos that featured Huggy Wuggy. One story told of a child who tried to jump out of a window after watching the videos, while another said that children at a playground had recreated a game based on the clips.<\/p>\n

However, following our research, we concluded that the police warning about Huggy Wuggy led to some misinformation and confusion. For example, Huggy Wuggy does not sing songs in \u201cPoppy Playtime,\u201d nor did MOB Games create official videos of the character singing. One of the main songs that was referenced by blog articles was created by a fan of the game. The video\u2019s creator told us that the upload settings for the clip would not have allowed it to appear on YouTube Kids.<\/p>\n

We found no evidence that showed the videos in question had been available on the TikTok for Younger Users experience<\/a> or on YouTube Kids. This does not mean they never appeared on the platforms. It simply means there\u2019s no direct record that would confirm it happened.<\/p>\n

While we did locate some tutorials on YouTube Kids that showed how to draw the Huggy Wuggy character, we did not see any of the \u201cvery distressing\u201d videos mentioned by the lone police report. It\u2019s entirely possible that some parents saw the Huggy Wuggy drawing tutorials on YouTube Kids and wrongly believed, without evidence, that that meant the \u201cvery distressing\u201d videos in question were also available on the platform. (YouTube Kids is designed for children under the age of 12. Meanwhile, TikTok has a \u201cTeen\u201d setting as well as a \u201cTikTok for Younger Users experience\u201d for children under age 13.)<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for TikTok told us by email there\u2019s no record that the videos in question had appeared on the TikTok for Younger Users experience. Further, a spokesperson for YouTube told Sky News<\/a>, \u201cThese videos are not available on YouTube Kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

On top of all of this, some of the American blog articles that reported on the police warning from the U.K. appeared to rush out their stories without first looking for the facts. These articles looked to have inflated the issue into a larger and more scary-sounding controversy, perhaps simply to bring in clicks from frightened parents.<\/p>\n

How This All Started<\/h4>\n

On March 22, 2022, a mother posted to Facebook<\/a> that she received an email from her child\u2019s school that warned about Huggy Wuggy. The post and other misleading accounts falsely claimed that Huggy Wuggy \u201csings worrying songs about hugging and killing.\u201d To be clear, Huggy Wuggy does not sing songs in \u201cPoppy Playtime,\u201d nor has MOB Games created any official videos that show the character singing songs.<\/p>\n

The post said that scary videos featuring Huggy Wuggy were \u201cinfiltrating firewalls and filters\u201d and landing on TikTok, YouTube, and even the YouTube Kids app<\/a>. There\u2019s no evidence that videos found a way to get past \u201cfirewalls and filters.\u201d (The usage of the word \u201cfirewalls\u201d here did not make sense.)<\/p>\n

Her post included a screenshot of the school\u2019s message to parents. It read as follows:<\/p>\n

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Safeguarding \u2018Huggy Wuggy\u2019<\/p>\n

Morning,<\/p>\n

It has been brought to my attention that a character named \u2018Huggy Wuggy\u2019 is being viewed by our children online, some as young as Year 1. The character can be easily viewed on YouTube channels and is a teddy bear with razor sharp teeth that sings worrying songs about hugging and killing. On one of the videos, the bear asks the viewer to take their last breath. It is a very deceiving character, as hugs should be seen as something kind and loving, and because of its name is able to infiltrate firewalls and filters. I just wanted to inform parents so you are aware and can be vigilant around what your children could be watching.<\/p>\n

Many thanks,
Safeguarding Lead<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Days later, Dorset.live reported on how Dorset Police had issued its warning about Huggy Wuggy, falsely claiming that the character was \u201csinging songs about killing.\u201d It specifically mentioned the YouTube Kids app:<\/p>\n

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Dorset Police have shared a warning following reports that Year 1 pupils have been exposed to the terrifying clips, which sees the creature singing about \u201chugging and killing\u201d and asking viewers to \u201ctake their last breath.\u201d The worrying trend has been branded the online equivalent of the \u201cKiller Clown\u201d craze, which swept across Britain several years ago.<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

Chris Conroy, cyber protect officer for Dorset Police said: \u201cThere are videos people have made, songs people have made, and it\u2019s popping up all over YouTube and TikTok using this quite graphic imagery of this bear-like character with razor sharp teeth. It\u2019s based around jump scares and things you certainly wouldn\u2019t want children exposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Huggy Wuggy is a character in a puzzle game which sees players attempt to escape their stalking villain in a toy factory. The game is available on platforms such as YouTube and Roblox and contains disturbing content that is unfiltered due to there being no age rating.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Conroy added: \u201cIf you were to use even YouTube Kids for example, it may slip through because there is nothing obviously sinister about the name of a video. It really comes down to paying attention of what your children are doing and making sure they are not just trusting YouTube Kids videos are safe because unfortunately with videos like this, things do slip through the cracks.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s true that videos of Huggy Wuggy are available on YouTube and TikTok. Those apps are made for teenagers and adults. However, to say that the \u201cvery distressing\u201d videos may \u201cslip through the cracks\u201d and land on YouTube Kids \u201cbecause there is nothing obviously sinister about the name of a video\u201d did not appear to follow how YouTube\u2019s upload process works. When uploading YouTube videos, creators must select whether the video is intended for kids. There\u2019s a specific setting (field) where creators specify this information. There\u2019s no evidence that videos marked as not for children are suddenly becoming available on YouTube Kids.<\/p>\n

Further, the article appeared to claim that the game was available to be played on YouTube. This was misleading. YouTube is a video platform, not a video game platform.<\/p>\n

After the police warning was reported by Dorset.live, an American blog then published the headline: \u201cPolice Issue Warning To Parents About Disturbing Huggy Wuggy Video.\u201d Another American blog reported: \u201c\u2018Huggy Wuggy\u2019 TikTok Videos Prompt Police Warning to Parents.\u201d The ball kept rolling and more American blogs continued to report on the story, all based on the one police report out of the U.K.<\/p>\n

Then, on April 5, a warning was tweeted<\/a> by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit in the U.K. It said: \u201cBeware of \u2018Huggy Wuggy\u2019 TikTok and YouTube craze. Huggy Wuggy is being viewed by children across the country the character is armed with sharp teeth and sings songs where the contents is very distressing. Keep an eye on what your children are viewing online.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udea8Beware of ‘Huggy Wuggy’ TikTok and YouTube craze.<\/p>\n

Huggy Wuggy is being viewed by children across the country the character is armed with sharp teeth and sings songs where the contents is very distressing.<\/p>\n

\u26a0\ufe0f Keep an eye on what your children are viewing online. pic.twitter.com\/bccnlz1IMv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NWROCU (@NWROCU) April 5, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

That tweet also appeared on its official homepage<\/a>. Again, Huggy Wuggy does not sing songs in \u201cPoppy Playtime,\u201d nor did MOB Games create any official videos of the character singing.<\/p>\n

\u2018Till You Breathe Your Last Breath\u2019<\/h4>\n

One of the songs and videos that was most referenced by these reports featured footage of Huggy Wuggy walking down a creepy hallway in \u201cPoppy Playtime.\u201d It had the lyrics, \u201cI could just hug you here forever, forever, till you breathe your last breath together, together.\u201d<\/p>\n

MOB Games did not create this video. The Huggy Wuggy character did not sing this in an official capacity. The video<\/a>, which was published in November 2021, came from a self-described \u201cvideo game singer\u201d and fan on YouTube named TryHardNinja<\/a> who has no affiliation with the \u201cPoppy Playtime\u201d creator, MOB Games. It appeared to be an endearing musical creation of sorts dedicated to the video game character:<\/p>\n

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