Viral ‘homeless man’ prank on parents sparks concern as people make sad point

TikTok trends come and go, but for the most part, they're usually pretty harmless.

It used to be all dance trends and make-up looks, with the odd recipe here and there.

Now, though, there's a darker side emerging with some of the trends and videos on the video-sharing app, all thanks to AI.

You might have seen your social media flooded with AI Ghostface pics, what with the arrival of spooky season, but many other people are using AI to mimic the appearance of a homeless person in their homes to 'prank' their loved ones.

The 'prank' is based around claiming that a 'homeless man' has entered your home, taking a photo of them in your bedroom or kitchen, and claiming to family members or friends that they are refusing to leave.

Creators are sharing videos of message exchanges and WhatsApp threads with their parents, where they convince them that a real man has entered their home.

Creators are using AI to make fake picture of a homeless man in their homes (Google Gemini)

One TikToker messaged her father saying: “Daddy, some man just came into my room. Homeless man. What do I do?” with the AI pictures attached.

Another video featured a panicked parent phoning his daughter saying: "Are you not thinking sweetheart? Are you not thinking? You know nothing about this guy.”

Now, people are hitting back at the trend, with one creator writing: "Call me woke, but if you actually find this homeless man trend genuinely funny then you have low IQ."

One person replied: "Not only do I hate generative AI, I actually AM homeless, makes me hate it twice as hard."

Another added: "Finding it funny for a person without any house barely surviving on the street begging for help is just no empathy, and its ai too which makes it even worse."

"It's not funny at all but also every time I see those videos I just know even if I did want to try it it would never work on my mum," added another. "Not because she'd be able to identify that its ai but she'd never tell me to turn someone asking for help away. She'd probably send me money to get us food or something."

They are then 'pranking' loved ones with the pics (Tyla)

"I don't think people realize how scarily close homelessness is as an outcome to many of us and that's what makes this trend so disheartening," wrote one.

"One small slip in today's world and you're easily homeless, at any point could that fake AI man be me, you the person reading this, or a loved family member, begging on someone's doorstep either literally or metaphorically," they continued.

"Life is crazy, it stops for nobody and you REALLY realize this as an adult, it IS that deep. we've become so jaded & ignorant" they finished, with a sad face.

Others argued that it was the reaction of the parents they were laughing at, rather than the idea of a homeless person, but either way, this is one trend we hope finishes soon.

Tyla has contacted TikTok for comment.