Essentially. A long time ago, there was a thread on Something Awful about photoshopping pictures to make them look creepy or paranormal. A user posted these two images:
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“We didn’t want to go, we didn’t want to kill them, but its persistent silence and outstretched arms horrified and comforted us at the same time…” – 1983, photographer unknown, presumed dead.
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One of two recovered photographs from the Stirling City Library blaze. Notable for being taken the day which fourteen children vanished and for what is referred to as “The Slender Man”. Deformities cited as film defects by officials. Fire at library occurred one week later. Actual photograph confiscated as evidence. – 1986, photographer: Mary Thomas, missing since June 13th, 1986.
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And Slenderman was created. The creepiness of it captured people's imagination, and others started posting pics/making up stories. And it took off from there. It's completely internet created.
It's actually fairly fascinating. Great example of collaborative media, and some genuinely creepy stuff has come out of it. If you ever have time, check out the Marble Hornets series on youtube. It's a series of short found footage pieces telling the story of a kid who disappeared while making a movie. Obviously Slenderman is involved. I think the guys who did that are actually writing for the new Slenderman game.