Police have issued safety warnings in response to a viral trend that features photoshopped photographs of a “homeless man.” Officials have described the movement as “stupid and potentially dangerous.”
Using artificial intelligence (AI) image generators, the trend produces realistic images of a messy guy who seems to be inside a person’s house or at their door.
Pranksters send these artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images to friends or family in the films. They then videotape the receivers’ frantic responses, which occasionally lead to emergency calls, and publish them online for entertainment and “likes.”
Wisconsin, New York, and Michigan police forces have warned the public about the AI hoax.
According to the Yonkers Police Department in New York, the prank has already occurred “a few times” and they shared an AI-generated image of it on Facebook.
The police department posted on Facebook, “The problem is that officers are using lights and sirens to respond FAST to what sounds like a real intruder’s call — and only getting called off once everyone realizes it was a joke.” It’s more than simply a waste of resources. If our police arrive before the prank is discovered and rush into the house to catch this imaginary “intruder,” it poses a serious safety risk to both the responding cops and the family members who are at home.
Following many 911 calls connected to the hoax earlier this month, the Salem Police Department in Massachusetts also issued an advisory.
Capt. John Burke of the Salem Police Department told “Good Morning America” that the practical joke is “eliciting a lot of fear.” According to him, the department has looked into three cases so far, all of which included individuals who honestly thought a break-in was taking place.
In one instance, Burke said, someone who didn’t realize the situation was a hoax called 911 because they believed a relative had picked up a hitchhiker who was now threatening them. Burke stressed that the joke wastes emergency resources and can quickly result in harmful miscommunications.
He stated you’re driving your friends and family to panic. You are tying up a police, public safety, and 911 dispatch center. You are wasting police resources.
Regarding the police reaction, Burke continued, “There is a chance that when you know we’re responding to these incidents, we don’t know at first if it’s real. We have to handle every situation like it’s a potential real situation.”
The Salem Police Department also denounced the hoax in its warning, saying it dehumanized the homeless and incited panic for entertainment.
Even if no one is harmed, the agency cautioned that pranksters who submit false information to emergency personnel may be charged with a crime in Massachusetts.
Burke advised social media users to reconsider joining trends that could put other people in risk.
For the sake of your friends and family, he urged, if you find this amusing or think you might want to try it, please reconsider. Additionally, you should avoid taking the chance of getting into problems, going to court, or being charged with this; it is completely preventable.
