The Momo Hoax
A sculpture of a bird-woman with bulging eyes became the face of a supposed online 'challenge' that turned out not to exist.
What was reported
In 2016, a sculpture of a woman with long black hair, bulging eyes and a bird's legs, made by the Japanese special-effects company Link Factory, was shown at a gallery in Tokyo. In 2018 its photo began circulating online as 'Momo', said to contact children through messaging apps and set them harmful dares.
In early 2019, warnings spread across Europe and the Americas, shared by parents, schools and some police forces.
Explanations offered
Charities and police found no evidence that the 'challenge' had harmed anyone; the panic itself spread the image to children far more than Momo did. The sculptor, Keisuke Aiso, said he had thrown the sculpture away. It's now a textbook example of a viral hoax.
- When
- Spread in 2018–2019
- Where
- Tokyo, Japan
- Witnesses
- Parents, schools and the press around the world
- Status
- Hoax
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.