The concept is straightforward: children utilize Snapchat’s AI features to generate images of a unkempt man inside their house and inform their parents that they allowed him in to use the restroom, take a nap, or simply grab a drink of water. Frequently, they claim that the individual asserts to be acquainted with the parents from work or college. As expected, the parents become agitated and insist that the man be asked to leave. The children, naturally, capture the entire incident and upload their parents’ reactions to TikTok, where some of the videos garner millions of views.
The situation escalates from troublesome to potentially hazardous when the prank persists for an extended period and parents contact the authorities. Reports of a break-in, especially involving minors, are treated as a top priority by law enforcement, so pranks like this consume valuable resources and could genuinely endanger the pranksters. Andy McKinney, Commander of the Round Rock Police Patrol Division, informed NBC that it might even “trigger a SWAT response.”
The Salem, MA police department encapsulated it succinctly in a statement, stating, “this prank dehumanizes the homeless, causes distress to the unsuspecting victim, and wastes police resources. Responding police officers are unaware that this is a prank and approach the call as a legitimate burglary in progress, potentially creating a hazardous situation.” Therefore, while we all appreciate a good prank, it may be wise to refrain from this one.
