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{{Infobox_character|name = Momo|gender = Female|race = White|location = {{JapanFlag}} Japan|image = |status = Deceased}}'''Momo''' was a hoax and Urban legend/Creepypasta character about a nonexistent social media challenge that was spread on Facebook and other media outlets.  
'''Momo''' was a [[:Category:Characters|character]] commonly associated with a [[creepypasta]].


=== '''In Popular Culture''' ===
==Background==
It was reported that children and adolescents were being enticed by a user named '''Momo''' to performs a series of dangerous tasks including violent attacks, self-harm and suicide. the event with innocent kids TV episodes of Peppa Pig or Kinder Toy unboxing, and other shows aimed at very young children, being interrupted by '''Momo''' (The creepypasta meme) with threats she is coming to kill the viewer which traumatises the young viewer<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20190301183552/https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/technology/2019/03/01/momo-challenge-isnt-viral-danger-children-online-it-sure-is-viral/</ref>.
[[File:Momo image.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Momo's creator Keisuke Aiso holding the statue's mask.]]
''Momo'' was not a fictional creation but an actual sculpture originally called Mother Bird. The sculpture was portrayed as a humanoid bird hybrid, featuring human-like breasts, a beak-shaped mouth, and haunting bulging eyes. The initial appearance of this sculpture on Instagram can be traced back to user ''nanaakooo'',<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/BJiFgx1BbS9/?taken-by=nanaakooo</ref> who shared images when it was exhibited at the Vanilla Gallery in [[wikipedia:Tokyo, Japan|Tokyo, Japan]].<ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/what-is-momo-challenge-800470/</ref>


Often, parents will leave their kids alone to watch episodes of childrens' programs such as Peppa Pig, the episodes themselves will be harmless, luring the child into thinking they're watching the full Peppa Pig episode, however, at some point during the episode, without warning, the episode will cut out to a picture of "'''Momo'''" doing one of the following:
The artist initially associated with the creation of Momo, Midori Hayashi, denied any involvement or claim to the sculpture. After an extensive research, the true author of the sculpture was attributed to Keisuke Aiso, who worked for the special effects company Link Factory.  
* '''Singing with a young girl''' (Momo's going to kill you, Momo's going to kill you, I won't lie, you're going to die)
* '''Screaming'''
* "'''Play hide and seek'''" and don't tell parents or she'll kill you
Other examples include "'''Momo'''" being replaced with a YouTuber [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joji_(musician) ''Filthy Frank''], it features a green screen where he instructs the viewer on how to self harm with a knife.<ref>https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8484645/youtube-kids-suicide-self-harm-cartoons-parents-warning/</ref>


One of the reasons this happens, is because it's expected that the parents won't be around when "'''Momo'''" pops up.
Due to the controversy surrounding the character itself (for more, see below), the creator Keisuke Aiso throw away the statue and said that "''It doesn’t exist anymore, it was never meant to last. It was rotten and I threw it away. “The children can be reassured Momo is dead - she doesn’t exist and the curse is gone.''"<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20190304084618/https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8551299/momo-dead-suicide-challenge-game-statue-killed/</ref>


== References ==
==Momo challenge phenomenon==
''Momo'' has evolved into an urban legend within the Spanish community, notably associated with multiple phone numbers on ''[[wikipedia:WhatsApp|WhatsApp]]''. The [[YouTube]] commentator ReignBot extensively explored this urban legend, delving into the investigation of phone numbers linked to the Momo phenomenon. Over time, the narrative went even ''far'' as it became connected to the tragic suicide of a 12-year-old girl in [[wikipedia:Buenos Aires, Argentina|Buenos Aires]], Argentina, purportedly influenced by the so-called "Momo Game."<ref>http://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/police-suspect-12-year-old-girls-suicide-linked-to-whatsapp-terror-game-momo.phtml</ref> This internet phenomenon has sparked discussions among commentators, alleging that it encourages self-harm among children. The Momo Challenge has been compared to the infamous [[wikipedia:Blue Whale Challenge|Blue Whale Challenge]], involving a format where someone posing as ''Momo'' instructs victims to carry out a series of tasks, with refusal met by malicious intent (see more in ''Appearance'' section).<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180821012325/http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/08/02/sinister-momo-suicide-challenge-sparks-fear-as-it-spreads-on-whatsapp.html</ref> However, it is crucial to note that there is no concrete evidence linking the Momo Challenge directly to real cases of suicide. Instances of self-harm are often attributed to underlying mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.


=== '''Further Reading''' ===
Several incidents, including the suicide of a 10th-grade girl expressing discouragement with grades, a Madras engineering student,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180905103725/https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/engineering-student-commits-suicide-was-playing-momo-challenge-1502680333.html</ref> and a drug overdose case of an 11-year-old boy from the ''[[wikipedia:Philippines|Philippines]]'',<ref>https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/27/19/online-challenge-tinitingnan-sa-kaso-ng-batang-namatay-sa-overdose</ref> have been loosely associated with the Momo Challenge. Authorities, however, have not confirmed the challenge's direct role in these cases. Doubt surrounds the belief that real harm has occurred, with suggestions that internet trolls exploit these challenges to torment vulnerable individuals rather than being authentic social media challenges.<ref>https://www.snopes.com/news/2019/02/26/momo-challenge-suicide-game/</ref>
<references />[[Category:Characters]]
 
===Appearance===
While establishing itself as an internet phenomenon, ''Momo'' has made [[screamer]]-like appearances in various random [[videos]], most notably within children's cartoon [[wikipedia:Peppa Pig|''Peppa Pig'']] content.<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/momo-challenge-youtube-fortnite-peppa-pig-video-parents-a8799776.html</ref> However, during the ''Peppa Pig'' episodes, an unexpected cut occurs, revealing an image or message from "Momo." Examples of these messages include singing with a young girl while threatening harm, screaming, or instructing the viewer to play hide and seek without informing their parents, under the threat of harm if they do. In one instance, a [[wikipedia:Garry's Mod|''Garry's Mod'']] video featuring YouTuber Filthy Frank, also known as [[wikipedia:Joji (musician)|Joji]], includes a green screen segment where he provides instructions on self-harm with a knife.<ref><nowiki>https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8484645/youtube-kids-suicide-self-harm-cartoons-parents-warning/</nowiki></ref>
 
However, YouTube has confirmed that material related to ''Momo'' is ''not'' present on a YouTube Kids app, though the platform allows news stories and videos aimed at raising awareness and educating against the “challenge,” according to a YouTube spokesperson. Contrary to press reports, YouTube asserts that it has not received any links to videos showcasing or endorsing the Momo challenge. Despite YouTube demonetizing videos related to ''Momo'', warnings have been issued on some due to perceived inappropriate content, violating advertiser-friendly guidelines. As of September 2018, most phone numbers supposedly associated with "Momo" were out of service, following WhatsApp's encouragement for users to block and report such numbers. At this point, news coverage of the phenomenon has diminished.<ref>http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2018/09/21/dire-warnings-about-children-dying-because-of-apps-and-games-are-a-form-of-juvenoia/</ref>
 
==References==
<references />
 
==Further reading==
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_Challenge_hoax
*<nowiki>web.archive.org/web/20190301183552/washingtonpost.com/amphtml/technology/2019/03/01/momo-challenge-isnt-viral-danger-children-online-it-sure-is-viral/</nowiki>
*<nowiki>https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8484645/youtube-kids-suicide-self-harm-cartoons-parents-warning/</nowiki>
 
==See also==
*[[Momo Chatline]]
* [[Jeff the Killer]]
* [[Smile Dog]]
 
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Creepypastas]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Momo]]
[[Category:Momo]]
[[Category:Hoaxes]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon]]
[[Category:Internet memes]]
{{Comments}}

Latest revision as of 18:50, 17 October 2024

Momo was a character commonly associated with a creepypasta.

Background

Momo's creator Keisuke Aiso holding the statue's mask.

Momo was not a fictional creation but an actual sculpture originally called Mother Bird. The sculpture was portrayed as a humanoid bird hybrid, featuring human-like breasts, a beak-shaped mouth, and haunting bulging eyes. The initial appearance of this sculpture on Instagram can be traced back to user nanaakooo,[1] who shared images when it was exhibited at the Vanilla Gallery in Tokyo, Japan.[2]

The artist initially associated with the creation of Momo, Midori Hayashi, denied any involvement or claim to the sculpture. After an extensive research, the true author of the sculpture was attributed to Keisuke Aiso, who worked for the special effects company Link Factory.

Due to the controversy surrounding the character itself (for more, see below), the creator Keisuke Aiso throw away the statue and said that "It doesn’t exist anymore, it was never meant to last. It was rotten and I threw it away. “The children can be reassured Momo is dead - she doesn’t exist and the curse is gone."[3]

Momo challenge phenomenon

Momo has evolved into an urban legend within the Spanish community, notably associated with multiple phone numbers on WhatsApp. The YouTube commentator ReignBot extensively explored this urban legend, delving into the investigation of phone numbers linked to the Momo phenomenon. Over time, the narrative went even far as it became connected to the tragic suicide of a 12-year-old girl in Buenos Aires, Argentina, purportedly influenced by the so-called "Momo Game."[4] This internet phenomenon has sparked discussions among commentators, alleging that it encourages self-harm among children. The Momo Challenge has been compared to the infamous Blue Whale Challenge, involving a format where someone posing as Momo instructs victims to carry out a series of tasks, with refusal met by malicious intent (see more in Appearance section).[5] However, it is crucial to note that there is no concrete evidence linking the Momo Challenge directly to real cases of suicide. Instances of self-harm are often attributed to underlying mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Several incidents, including the suicide of a 10th-grade girl expressing discouragement with grades, a Madras engineering student,[6] and a drug overdose case of an 11-year-old boy from the Philippines,[7] have been loosely associated with the Momo Challenge. Authorities, however, have not confirmed the challenge's direct role in these cases. Doubt surrounds the belief that real harm has occurred, with suggestions that internet trolls exploit these challenges to torment vulnerable individuals rather than being authentic social media challenges.[8]

Appearance

While establishing itself as an internet phenomenon, Momo has made screamer-like appearances in various random videos, most notably within children's cartoon Peppa Pig content.[9] However, during the Peppa Pig episodes, an unexpected cut occurs, revealing an image or message from "Momo." Examples of these messages include singing with a young girl while threatening harm, screaming, or instructing the viewer to play hide and seek without informing their parents, under the threat of harm if they do. In one instance, a Garry's Mod video featuring YouTuber Filthy Frank, also known as Joji, includes a green screen segment where he provides instructions on self-harm with a knife.[10]

However, YouTube has confirmed that material related to Momo is not present on a YouTube Kids app, though the platform allows news stories and videos aimed at raising awareness and educating against the “challenge,” according to a YouTube spokesperson. Contrary to press reports, YouTube asserts that it has not received any links to videos showcasing or endorsing the Momo challenge. Despite YouTube demonetizing videos related to Momo, warnings have been issued on some due to perceived inappropriate content, violating advertiser-friendly guidelines. As of September 2018, most phone numbers supposedly associated with "Momo" were out of service, following WhatsApp's encouragement for users to block and report such numbers. At this point, news coverage of the phenomenon has diminished.[11]

References

Further reading

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_Challenge_hoax
  • web.archive.org/web/20190301183552/washingtonpost.com/amphtml/technology/2019/03/01/momo-challenge-isnt-viral-danger-children-online-it-sure-is-viral/
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8484645/youtube-kids-suicide-self-harm-cartoons-parents-warning/

See also

Comments

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