Photo: Supplied via RNZAn online game said to encourage children to self-harm is likely a hoax, but that hasn't stopped agencies in New Zealand and overseas sounding the alarm. The game reportedly involves a puppet-like character called Momo that pops up in YouTube videos to scare children and issue disturbing demands. YouTube said it had seen no recent evidence of videos promoting the Momo challenge on its website. Sarah Monod de Froideville is a lecturer in criminology at Victoria University of Wellington and researches moral panic. There are often moral panics about media, social media, gaming, video nasties and sexting, she said, adding that there was a whole genre of moral panic centred around creepy characters haunting children.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 28, 2019 18:45 UTC