The 'Momo challenge' explained — and why we're so quick to believe internet hoaxes

Elamin Abdelmahmoud is Buzzfeed's social media editor and q's online columnist. Every week, he brings us up to speed on the big headlines taking over the internet.

Today, he joins guest host Jael Richardson to talk about a new urban legend for the digital age, the Momo Challenge. In the last few weeks the challenge has gone viral, with claims floating around that a creepy character named Momo was popping up in popular kids' videos and on YouTube, apparently telling children to harm themselves. 

These claims have since been debunked, but for a while it was sending many parents into a panic. The story has raised questions about how we allow kids to engage with the internet and why we're so quick to believe some of the things we read online.

— Produced by Vanessa Nigro