“One kid might turn it off, but another kid who’s more vulnerable may leave it on,” said Dr. Such videos appear to be made by trolls with the express intention of trying to disturb children. Reports have also surfaced of YouTube videos featuring kid-friendly characters like Peppa Pig or Splatoon gameplays being edited with images of Momo, as well as instructions for children to self-harm. Momo challenges” on YouTube, though they appear to be more intended as comedic videos than anything else. One oft-cited report suggests that a 12-year-old girl in Buenos Aires took her own life as a result of playing the Momo challenge, but such reports appear to be poorly sourced and unconfirmed. Failure to complete the tasks apparently would result in their personal information being leaked or threats of violence.Īlthough ReignBot’s video in large part debunked the phenomenon, pointing out the relatively innocuous origins of “Momo,” stories nonetheless started circulating in the English-speaking press about the dangers of the Momo challenge, quoting internet safety “experts” urging parents to watch out for warning signs that their children were playing the game. According to the video, those who texted “Momo’s” number were told to complete a series of bizarre and increasingly dangerous tasks, starting with something innocent, like watching a horror movie late at night, and ending with a call for kids to self-harm or take their own lives. But per Google trends, the Momo challenge didn’t really pick up steam in the English-speaking world until YouTuber ReignBot made a video devoted to unpacking the phenomenon in July 2018. Though the actual origins of the Momo Challenge itself are unclear, it reportedly made its rounds in the Spanish-speaking world first, with Mexican authorities claiming that the trend stemmed from a Facebook group. 幽霊画廊ってきました。何故か間違われてるけど、私は作ってないよ。見ただけだからね。（I am not the author）#ヴァニラ画廊 #姑獲鳥 #linkfactoryĪfter the photos were posted on Instagram, they started to gain traction on Reddit, particularly the subreddit r/creepy, where it garnered thousands of upvotes and comments.

Online challenge games