A viral social media trend featuring AI -generated images of the Cat in the Hat from the 2003 live-action movie has moved from an online prank to a school safety concern in parts of the US, prompting law enforcement warnings, increased security and, in at least one case, the cancellation of classes.
Teen arrested over online threats
Police departments and school authorities in several states have issued warnings after posts connected to the trend began causing alarm among students and families. In Virginia, the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office issued a community warning about a social media account and post referencing Mechanicsville High School and the trend. Some social media users have treated the posts as a joke, while parents and children have reacted differently when their own names or communities appear in them.
In Kentucky, the Louisville Metro Police Department said it was aware of posts involving the Cat in the Hat trend and was working with school officials to assess the situation. The department said there was no information at the time indicating a credible threat, but authorities were investigating posts that had caused concern. The Flemingsburg Police Department in Kentucky said some accounts had used the character’s name or likeness to identify individual students or schools, alongside language suggesting that the character was “coming for them.
A Florida teenager was arrested in connection with online threats directed at the student body of McCracken County High School in Paducah, Kentucky, according to authorities cited by USA TODAY.
