The Momo Challenge

The Momo Challenge was a viral internet hoax and contemporary legend that spread via social media in the late 2010s, centered on claims that a grotesque image (the “Momo” character) would encourage children to harm themselves. It is often cited as an example of how digital-age moral panics emerge and are sustained by the interplay between folklore, media coverage, and public anxiety.

Claims that use this term

• The Momo Challenge illustrates how contemporary legends can trigger moral panics in the digital age.
• The Momo Challenge existed simultaneously as a contemporary legend and a moral panic, with each sustaining the other.