Police urge kids to stop AI homeless man prank
▼ Summary
– Kids use Snapchat AI to create images of a stranger in their home and prank their parents by claiming he needs help.
– Parents react with panic and demand the imaginary person be removed, with kids recording and sharing these reactions on TikTok.
– The prank becomes dangerous when prolonged, leading parents to call police who treat it as a high-priority home invasion.
– Police resources are wasted, and the situation could escalate to a SWAT response, endangering the pranksters.
– Authorities criticize the prank for dehumanizing the homeless, causing distress, and creating unnecessary risks.
A troubling new social media trend has law enforcement officials issuing serious warnings to parents and teens. The so-called “AI homeless man prank” involves young people using artificial intelligence tools to fabricate images of a disheveled stranger inside their homes. They present these fake photos to their parents, claiming they allowed this individual inside to use the bathroom, rest, or get a drink of water. To make the scenario more believable, many claim the person knows their parents from work or college. The predictable parental panic becomes entertainment as children record their family’s frantic reactions and upload the footage to platforms like TikTok, where some videos have accumulated millions of views.
What begins as a seemingly harmless joke quickly escalates into a potentially hazardous situation when frightened parents contact emergency services. Police departments nationwide emphasize that reports of home invasions, particularly those involving children, receive the highest priority response. These fabricated emergencies divert critical police resources from genuine crises and create unnecessary risks for everyone involved. Round Rock Police Patrol Division Commander Andy McKinney highlighted the severity, noting such pranks could potentially “cause a SWAT response” due to the perceived threat level.
The Salem Police Department in Massachusetts articulated the broader concerns in an official statement, pointing out that this trend not only wastes valuable emergency resources but also dehumanizes vulnerable homeless populations. Officers responding to these calls have no indication they’re walking into a prank and must approach each situation as a legitimate burglary in progress. This creates volatile circumstances where the safety of both responders and residents could be compromised. While playful humor has its place, authorities strongly recommend finding alternative entertainment that doesn’t jeopardize public safety or exploit societal vulnerabilities.
(Source: The Verge)