TikTok on the Apple app store Jan. 10, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Teens and young adults are pranking their parents as part of a trend on TikTok — and some Wisconsin law enforcement agencies are trying to nip it in the bud.
The viral prank has people taking photos in their homes, then using artificial intelligence tools to add images of a homeless person. The pranksters text those pictures to their parents. When the parents respond with frantic messages, the pranksters take screen shots and share them on TikTok.
Both the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office and University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department have warned against the trend in the past week.
“Yeah, your parents are calling us about it,” the UWPD wrote on Facebook.
Shawano County authorities said they responded to a call from a prank victim on Monday.
They wrote:
While it may seem like a joke, this “prank” isn’t funny and can:
-Cause panic
-Lead to dangerous or violent reactions
-Waste emergency resources
UW-Madison police acknowledged they “love a good trend,” but advised students not to let it get out of hand.
“Yep, it’s super funny and harmless but don’t let your parents sit and stew on it. Quickly tell them it’s a prank so they don’t call the police,” they said.
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