Momo Challenge Timeline: The Hoax That Scared Parents

Artist Keisuke Aisawa exhibited the sculpture 'Mother Bird' at a Japanese horror art showcase in August 2016.Keisuke Aisawa entered his sculpture.The sculpture was called 'Mother Bird'.The rubber sculpture portrayed Aisawa's version of ubume in Tokyo's Vanilla Gallery for its 2016 horror art showcase.August 2016: Artist Keisuke Aisawa exhibited the sculpture 'Mother Bird' at a Japanese horror art showcase.ubume is a Japanese folklore icon. The disturbing bust of a long-faced woman with bird legs did not draw much attention at the showcase.

Instagram and other social platforms soon made the sculpture infamous.

A post shared by ナナ子 (@nanaakooo).onAug 25, 2016 at 6:01am PDT/time>

Artist Keisuke Aisawa felt disappointed by the lack of reaction tohisMother BirdstatueInstagram users posted images of the sculpture to their accounts. One account, @nanaakooo, did this.@nanaakoooThis user even added a disclaimer to their bio after the 2018 issue with the Mother Bird photo.Mother BirdThis user stated, "I'm not the author of Momo."

The creepy image ofMother BirdThe image gained little traction from Instagram posts until a couple of years later.

According to Know Your Meme, in July 2018, YouTuber El Deadpool uploaded a video trying to speak with Momo on WhatsApp.Know Your MemeIn July 2018, YouTuber El Deadpool uploaded a video trying to talk to Momo on WhatsApp. He used a phone number from the app meant to link users to the creature Momo and waited for replies in the video.

No responses came from the supposed entity. This seemed to debunk any existence of the creature. The WhatsApp numbers linked to Momo suggest the hoax circulated first in Spanish-speaking countries.

The subreddit r/Creepy lets users share frightening artwork or web photos. Redditor u/AlmightySosa00 found an image of Mother Bird.u/AlmightySosa00a Redditor found an image ofMother Birdand posted it in ther/Creepygroup in July 2018.

Over 5,000 Redditors upvoted the photograph. Many commented on how upsetting the photo felt. This brought the creepy image into wider circulation.

After re-tweeting the Mother Bird /Momo image, YouTuber ReignBot acted.Mother Bird/Momo imageYouTuber ReignBotdug into the origin of the disturbing image. ReignBot made a video explaining the image mattered to Spanish-speaking countries because of its use in the Momo Challenge.

ReignBot explained the WhatsApp trick, but the YouTuber also proved the urban legend false. Strangely, panic over Momo in English-speaking countries started after ReignBot showed there was no real fear challenge.

In July 2018, Argentinian police spoke about the last moments of a preteen's life. They suggested the Momo Challenge might have affected her. The girl recorded herself on her cell phone before suicide, and authorities thought someone encouraged her.Argentinian policespoke about the last moments of a preteen's life, suggesting the Momo Challenge affected her. The girl recorded herself on her cell phone before killing herself, and authorities thought someone pushed her.

Police stated they think she planned to "upload the video to social media as part of a challenge aimed at crediting the Momo game" before she died.

No proof ever appeared, and no real link was reported.

https://t.co/RbaLPSaSjN

Pasco has seen no reports. We share this warning from law enforcement groups across several countries. Parents must know what their kids do on social media.

RT.

On August 2, 2018, the Pasco Sheriff's Office in West Central Florida tweeted a warning about the Momo Challenge risks. The tweet stated no reports existed in their area and included a link to the UK tabloid, The Sun.The SunCovering the challenge.

The tweet asked viewers to retweet the information to their followers.

One month after Argentinian police linked a preteen's death to the Momo Challenge, Indian officials saidthey thought Momo connected to two deaths: one at 18 and one at 26 in Kurseong, West Bengal, on August 20 and 21, 2018. Indian law enforcement sent invitations to join the game and told players to self-harm.

India'sCriminal Investigation Departmentsaid claims linking the Momo Challenge to the two deaths were 'far-fetched' and 'devoid of any evidence.'

Alerta#PolicíaCibernéticaHigh-risk for playing internet challenges@UIDIFGETabascohttps://t.co/uGDrZL0W9m pic.twitter.com/NKazmMedmq

Law enforcement in Tabasco, Mexico, tweeted on September 2, 2018, with an image for parents. The aid told kids to avoid the Momo Challenge, warning it might cause mental problems or hackers might use Momo to steal kid data.

The Washington PostThis tweet, along with others from other government groups, sparked global panic.

On February 17, 2019, a parentanonymously told a Facebook groupin England that her child scared classmates by saying Momo would end them in their bedrooms at night. The post asked other parents to share this threat information with their kids online.

TheManchester Evening NewsUK wrote a story about the post. Other media picked up the story again, including the BBC. The BBC story updated on February 28, 2019: 'This article was first published on February 26 and has been updated because fact-checkers now say parts of the 'Momo' story are a hoax.'

A story in the UK tabloidThe Daily Mail On February 26, 2019, Scottish parent Lyn Dixon said Momo told her 8-year-old son to hold a knife to his throat in a YouTube video appearance.

Momo's supposed YouTube appearance differed from the WhatsApp chat link, suggesting the danger spread online.

On February 26, 2019, a Twitter user posted a warning about the Momo Challenge, though the post has since been deleted.@BreeDaAuraGodA Twitter user pushed social media into a frenzy with a tweet. The tweet read, "Warning! Please read, this is real!" It linked to a Facebook post about Momo. That tweet gained at least 15,000 retweets and over 10,000 likes from other users.

Kim Kardashian West posted a warning about the Momo fabrication on an Instagram story that reached her more than 130 million followers that day. Since Instagram stories are temporary, only screenshots remain.

The website debunked the Momo Challenge existence on February 26, 2019.Snopes debunked the Momo Challenge existence on February 26, 2019.Snopes, which investigates internet claims, ran a story on February 26, 2019. The story debunked the idea that the Momo Challenge caused children to self-harm. It mentioned a 12-year-old death in Argentina and police investigating an 18-year-old WhatsApp user who might have pushed the child over the edge.

The article also pointed out a lack of screenshots for the supposed Momo WhatsApp chats or images in children's YouTube videos. Additionally, it suggested children who pick on others saw Momo as a chance to antagonize their marks more.

Snopes author David Mikkelson theorized that constant media coverage of the fake challenge and the creepy "Mother Bird" image worsened the situation beyond the hoax itself."Mother Bird"The "Mother Bird" image worsened the situation more than the hoax itself.

We want to clear up the Momo Challenge. We have seen no recent videos promoting the Momo Challenge on YouTube. Videos encouraging harmful and dangerous challenges break our policies.

YouTube issued a statement on Twitter to reduce the excitement about the deception.A statement on Twitter appeared on February 27, 2019.On February 27, 2019, the tweet reassured parents and users that there is no evidence for the challenge on YouTube.

By March 1, 2019, YouTube announced that it was demonetizing any Momo videos.YouTube was demonetizing any Momo videos.YouTube was demonetizing any Momo videos.

In a video posted by UK tabloid The Sun,The Sun reported on March 3, 2019. On March 3, 2019, Keisuke Aisawa, the artist who made the "Mother Bird" sculpture,"Mother Bird", said the art piece was never meant to last. As the sculpture broke down and the Momo hoax spread, Aisawa said he threw it in the garbage in 2018.

"The children can be reassured Momo... doesn't exist [anymore] and the curse is gone," Aisawa said.