Viral 'Momo challenge' is a malicious hoax, say charities

Groups say no evidence yet of self-harm from craze, but resulting hysteria poses a risk

It is the most talked about viral scare story of the year so far, blamed for child suicides and violent attacks - but experts and charities have warned that the "Momo challenge" is nothing but a "moral panic" spread by adults.

Warnings about the supposed Momo challenge suggest that children are being encouraged to kill themselves or commit violent acts after receiving messages on messaging service WhatsApp from users with a profile picture of a distorted image of woman with bulging eyes.