MANILA, Philippines — The controversial social media challenge—allegedly driving children to do dangerous activities—that perpetuated fear among parents and guardians all over the world is a hoax, a report said.
Based on unverified testimonies, the so-called Momo challenge features the image of “Momo” appearing on platforms such as WhatsApp and YouTube. It allegedly compels children to engage in dangerous tasks such as taking pills and even killing themselves.
But according to an article from The Atlantic, the “Momo challenge” is a “recurring viral hoax.”
The Atlantic noted that the spread of the challenge even took place a year ago.
Snopes, a fact-checking website, also cited an incident in which deaths of minors in Argentina and Colombia were thought to be related to the game even if police had yet to confirm the causes of deaths.
“The Momo challenge wasn’t real then, and it isn’t real now. YouTube confirmed that, contrary to press reports, it hasn’t seen evidence of videos showing or promoting the ‘Momo challenge’ on its platform,” The Atlantic article read.
Source:https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/03/1898321/momo-challenge-debunked-viral-hoax/amp/