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Le plus souvent, les spécialistes attribuent le titre de manière un peu exclusive à des récits qui présentent les caractères suivants :
* la forme narrative (une petite histoire, un récit structuré) ;
* un procédé d'authentification « par la convocation de témoignages, par des indications de mode, date et de lieu, par l'intervention de leur propre autorité » (Berlioz) ;
* le récit propose — à la lecture attentive — un déchiffrement et une interprétation du monde (surtout dans ses aspects les plus perturbants, confondants ou inquiétants).
Les légendes urbaines sont apparentées aux lieux communs et aux idées reçues, en ce qu'elles sont partagées par de nombreuses personnes sans être vérifiées. Elles ont le plus souvent un caractère extraordinaire et/ou mystérieux, mais peuvent être basées sur des faits réels, et, dans certains domaines, peuvent proposer des explications "alternatives" aux thèses officielles (des disciplines développées en marge des sciences expérimentales comme l'ufologie ou la cryptozoologie peuvent inspirer des légendes urbaines, ou inversement s'en inspirer). Elles apparaissent le plus souvent d'une manière spontanée, mais, dans certains cas, leur diffusion peut parfois être organisée afin de manipuler les foules (en particulier dans des domaines politiquement sensibles: drogue, violence, m½urs, racisme, etc.), un récit pouvant être inventé afin de nuire à un individu, à une entreprise, à un groupe ethnique ou religieux, à un gouvernement, etc. L'on touche alors au thème de la désinformation, lequel dépasse de très loin le cadre des "légendes" et autres anecdotes.
Depuis les années 1990, la propagation des rumeurs en général et des légendes urbaines en particulier a été fortement accélérée grâce à la multiplication des moyens de communication et notamment Internet, mais aussi à cause du retour de la croyance à l'irrationnel dans la conscience collective. En France, on parle de hoax (mot anglais traduisible par « canular ») ou de pourriels pour celles propagées par Internet.
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France
