AI-generated Cat in the Hat videos alarm children in Finland

Frightening social media videos featuring the Cat in the Hat character are worrying children in several parts of Finland, Yle reports. Police have not found anyone dressed as the cat, despite searching for the person shown in the videos.

The videos, shared especially on TikTok, portray the character as a threat and claim it has been seen in different places or is heading to a town or school. The character comes from children’s books by the US author Dr. Seuss.

Oulu police said earlier this week they had received reports about the trend. At Koivuhaka School in Kokkola, principal Jyrki Mikkonen said parents had alerted the school to posts warning that the character would appear in the Koivuhaka neighbourhood. Some videos also mentioned the area’s playground.

Kaisa Rissanen, legal and operations director at Someturva, which provides legal advice and psychological first aid for social media users, said the videos were generally made with artificial intelligence and did not point to real danger. Similar scares involving people dressed as clowns emerged about a decade ago, she said. Research into the Cat in the Hat trend in Sweden has also found little evidence of a genuine threat.

Social media algorithms favour content that provokes strong emotions, Rissanen said, which can help frightening videos attract large audiences. But she stressed that children’s fear is real and should be taken seriously.

Rissanen advised adults to reassure children that they are safe and that adults are managing the situation. They should also explain that the videos are probably not real, discourage children from sharing them and report disturbing content to the platform.

Schools should inform parents when a frightening online trend is worrying pupils, she said, so families can discuss it at home. At Koivuhaka School, teachers talk through such concerns and staff, including the school counsellor and nurse, remain alert. Children who need support are offered a chance to talk and directed to further help.

Mikkonen cautioned against overreacting, saying that a large-scale response in advance could cause more panic than help. Rissanen said the trend was a reminder of the growing importance of media literacy and digital safety skills as AI-generated content becomes more common. Mikkonen said an ongoing curriculum reform is intended to make digital skills a separate area of study and part of other subjects by 2028.