The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Parents
For those who haven’t encountered head-scratching “Cat in the Hat” posts cropping up on TikTok and Instagram, they basically involve a costumed person or AI-generated Cat in the Hat—yes, the one from the classic Dr. Seuss book—dancing around mischievously in the dark.
The “Cat in the Hat” then shares names of a town, a school, specific administrators or kids, and warns that he is coming to get them.
According to ABC News, the threats are vague in nature and have proven to be hoaxes in most cases. Nonetheless, school districts and law enforcement agencies nationwide have announced that they are closely monitoring the trend.
“Whether it’s a joke, a meme, or a viral trend, it’s critical that young people understand there is no such thing as a ‘harmless’ online threat,” says Nicole Hockley, the CEO and Co-Founder of Sandy Hook Promise.
As Hockley points out, “When kids participate in or share this kind of content, they often don’t realize the real-world panic, disruption, and legal consequences it causes.”
“Parents should be very clear with their children that a threat involving a school, student, or staff member is never just social media content,” agrees John Newman, a law enforcement professional with decades of experience in the Tampa Police Department, and a member of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, as well as CENTEGIX Director of Customer Partnerships.
Ultimately, Hockley encourages kids to think about online safety as more than just protecting themselves. “It’s about protecting their classmates and school communities,” she says.