Viral ‘Cat In The Hat’ TikTok trend dupes scared teens into thinking he’s real

A viral Cat In The Hat trend on TikTok has duped scared teens into thinking the character is real and out on the streets. In recent weeks, the trend has seen what appear to be AI-generated images of the famous Dr Seuss character creepily appearing on the streets after dark. The images have led to fears among some teenagers, who have been convinced that they are real and that the character is out there. However, police forces – including in Irish counties such as Limerick and Wexford where many of the clips have been focused – have issued statements confirming the TikToks are fake. “In an unusual turn of events, we are hearing a lot about an illusive Dr Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country,” said a spokesperson for Wexford Garda (via The Sentinel). “Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places. To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out and he is not currently hiding out in Curracloe.” South Yorkshire Police have also denied a fake Facebook post claiming they are taking the so-called ...