# WHY do people start urban legends on the internet?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-start-urban-legends-on-the-internet/377037>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 19, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-start-urban-legends-on-the-internet/377037 "2006-10-19T02:20:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-start-urban-legends-on-the-internet/377037/21 "2006-10-19T18:06:35Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I was going to ask if anyone has ever confessed to being the originator of an urban legend but seeing Chronos’s more organic explanation, probably not.
> 
> Great post.

I think the organic origin is more common by far, but there are a few examples on Snopes started by an individual who later confessed. The only example I can think of off the top of my head is [pubic hair sequins](http://www.snopes.com/risque/celebrities/hurley.asp), but I’ve seen others.

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