The premise is quite plain: kids employ Snapchat’s artificial intelligence tools to create images of a sullied man in their home and let their parents know to let them employ the bathroom, take a nap, or just drink water. It is often said that a person claims to know the parents from work or studies. And then, predictably, the parents lose their temper and demand that the man be thrown out. The children, of course, record the whole thing and publish their parents’ reactions on TikTok, where some of the clips remain millions With views.
The situation goes from problematic to potentially perilous when the prank goes on too long and parents call the authorities. Home burglary calls, especially those involving children, are treated as a priority by the police, so these types of pranks take up valuable resources and can actually put the pranksters in danger. Round Rock Police Patrol Division Commander Andy McKinney told NBC that it could even “spark a SWAT response.”
The Salem Police Department, Massachusetts summed it up best in a statement, saying, “this prank dehumanizes a homeless person, panics the worried recipient, and wastes police resources. The police officers called to respond do not know it is a prank and treat the call as a burglary in progress, thus creating a potentially dangerous situation.” So, while we all love a good prank, maybe pass on this one.