AI homeless man prank causes alarm at Oak Harbor school

A social media post circulating on the Oak Harbor High School campus falsely claimed a homeless person was on campus on Monday.

The Oak Harbor Police Department (OHPD) issued a press release Monday to dispel rumors of a homeless person being present on the Oak Harbor school campus.

“The Oak Harbor Police Department is aware of a social media post that circulated this morning among parents and community members, falsely claiming that a homeless individual was present on the Oak Harbor High School Campus,” OHPD stated. “This claim is not accurate.”

AI-generated homeless man prank made at Oak Harbor High School

The specific prank, called the “AI Homeless Man Prank,” involved creating an AI-generated image of a homeless individual in familiar settings and then sending the image to a friend or family member in hopes of alarming them.

“In this case, students generated and circulated an image implying the presence of a homeless individual on school grounds, which led to unnecessary concern within the community,” OHPD stated.

OHPD claimed it is partnering with the Oak Harbor School District (OHSD) administrators to investigate the incident.

The department encouraged families to speak with their children about responsibly using technology and the consequences of distributing false information online.

“AI tools can create highly convincing images, and misinformation can spread quickly, causing unnecessary fear or diverting public safety resources,” OHPD stated.

The department noted that if anyone has received alarming messages or images about safety issues on campus, they are urged to verify the information with official OHPD or OHSD communications before distributing it elsewhere.

Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.