The Momo Challenge existed simultaneously as a contemporary legend and a moral panic, with each sustaining the other.

Evidence

The Momo Challenge and the Intersection of Contemporary Legend and Moral Panic (Contemporary Legend (scholarworks.iu.edu))

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Folktales can escalate into moral panics in troubled times. — Lynley Hood, A City Possessed, 77; The Momo Challenge illustrates how contemporary legends can trigger moral panics in the digital age. — The Momo Challenge and the Intersection of Contemporary Legend and Moral Panic

Related

• The Momo Challenge illustrates how contemporary legends can trigger moral panics in the digital age. (similarity 0.96)