KFC Chicken: It’s a finger-licking abomination to all that is good and kind in this world. At least that’s what its competitors over in China would like you to think.

As reported by The Associated Press, KFC is taking three Chinese companies to court over allegations that they’ve spread false rumors about the chain's food on social media, including that its chickens were genetically modified to have eight legs and six wings. On its Chinese-language website, the fast food chain claims the companies Shanxi Weilukuang Technology, Taiyuan Zero Point Technology, and Yingchenanzhi Success and Culture Communication allowed these rumors to fester on their WeChat, a popular app, accounts. It is seeking over 1.5 million yuan ($242,000) in damages and personal apologies from all three. "This not only seriously misled consumers, but also hurt our brand," said Qu Cuirong, KFC China's president. Despite the hit to their reputation, KFC still currently hosts more than 4,500 chains in China.

The Internet astute might notice that this frankenchicken myth isn’t really very different from the yarns spun about most fast food chains since the beginning of their burgeoning popularity. As collected by the myth, rumor, and legend archive Snopes.com, there’s the tall tale about the chicken pus sandwich; the cockroach eggs laid in a girl’s jaw via taco; or the finger found in a chili bowl of Wendy’s — among many many others.

But while the aforementioned urban legends play on our strange fascination with filth and disgust (see: horror films) and our love-hate relationship with fast food, there’s an added note of fear in these KFC rumors — that of genetically modified (GM) foods. It seems that from KFC to Chipotle, the dangers of modifying the food we eat can’t be overstated, though they can certainly be inaccurate and pointless. To quote the World Health Organization on GM foods currently in existence: "No effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of such foods by the general population in the countries where they have been approved."

For the fact-checkers among us, KFC’s campaign appears to be a good sign of things, though there are reports that their efforts are partially being used by the Chinese government to censor social media users. Still, it seems unlikely that a promise to stop lying about their food will accomplish much of anything.

Urban legends are nothing if not tenacious in their existence.