More than 10 US teenagers have been arrested this month over a viral 'Cat in the Hat' social media trend, as police warn that AI-generated posts naming real schools can carry felony charges, even when the poster insists it was only a joke.
The trend uses images and short videos of a sinister version of the Dr Seuss character, often resembling the one Mike Myers played in the 2003 film, lurking outside homes, schools, and streets at night. Much of the content is AI-generated or digitally altered. Some clips carry captions claiming the character is heading to a named town, school, or student next.
