Why Is Cat In The Hat Going Viral In UK And Ireland? Police Warn Dangers Of AI Trend
AI generated images and videos showing a life sized version of the Dr Seuss character standing outside homes and appearing on dark streets have been spreading across the UK and Ireland.
Recommended For YouSome posts claimed the character had actually been spotted in different neighbourhoods, leaving social media users wondering whether the sightings were real.
They were not.
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Police respond
The trend became big enough for police to step in.
In Wexford, Ireland, Gardaí confirmed that the images were created using AI, placing the character into photos and videos of familiar locations.
Police reassured residents that the Cat in the Hat was not actually roaming around their neighbourhoods.
The trend also reached the UK, where a fake statement circulated online claiming South Yorkshire Police were aware of sightings of a suspicious Cat in the Hat figure.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed the statement was fake and said they had received no reports of such sightings. They also reminded people to check that policing updates shared online come from official accounts.
Some teenagers were genuinely frightened by the trend. One 16-year-old told the BBC she became so scared after watching the videos during a sleepover that she called her mother to pick her up.
How dangerous can AI generated images be?The Cat in the Hat trend may seem like a joke, but realistic AI images can become a problem when people believe they show something that actually happened.
The same technology can be used to create fake images of people, places or incidents and spread misleading information online.
Before believing or sharing an unusual image, users can check who originally posted it and whether an official or trusted source has reported the same incident.
Small details such as distorted text, unusual hands, inconsistent shadows or objects that look out of place can sometimes be signs that an image was created or altered using AI. A reverse image search can also help find where a photo first appeared.
And if a frightening image suddenly appears online claiming something unusual is happening nearby, it may be worth checking before sharing it.
In this case, police have already cleared things up: the Cat in the Hat sightings are not real.
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