The Internet Can Send You a Boo

Cyclones, the spooky season is upon us! And the internet can partake in it very well. This Halloween season, you can terrify yourself with these spooky videos and rumors circling the internet today. Some of them are AI generated.

Although we strongly discourage the use of artificial intelligence (AI) here at The Cyclone Chronicle, AI and the internet are here to stay. Therefore, this Halloween, The Cyclone Chronicle staff writer Jodi Lanka lists 10 spooky things students may have seen on the internet, including a wave of false rumors. Here, Lanka has compiled a list of  the 10 scariest clickbait rumors on the internet from least scary to scariest by Lanka. 

Our first four internet spooks at the bottom of our list are simple Halloween classics, not really clickbait, but spooky.

#10: AI Generated Halloween Costumes

This video was seen by sophomore Ashanti Dewalt on the internet. It’s appropriate for Halloween, but costumes are meant for fun, not what you’ll read about later in this article. Therefore, it earns its spot at the bottom of our list. You’ll see some pretty scary costumes in the link above.

#9: Skeletons and Ghosts

This video was seen by senior Jacoby Stewart on the internet, but skeletons and ghosts just decorate yards and houses this time of year, they won’t haunt you.

#8: Black Cats Bringing Bad Luck On Halloween

This classic superstition was mentioned by freshman Leanna Brennan, but a black cat isn’t necessarily a bad omen.

#7: Monsters

Senior Emma Coronel saw a realistic AI-generated video of monsters on the internet, but we’ve known since we were little that monsters aren’t real.

Our next internet spooks are a little scarier.

#6: A Baseball “ Breaks” Your Phone

This one is a little bit older and it’s not AI. Senior Myles Castillo, a baseball player, saw a video where a baseball player missed a pitch and the baseball player “broke” his phone by the baseball smashing into the screen. This is a little bit scary, but I have some much scarier stuff for you.

#5: AI Generated Horror Film

Freshman Eugene Roman saw a clip from an AI-generated horror film on TikTok. Horror movies are just movies, but they can give you nightmares. Terrify yourself in the link above by watching the first photorealistic AI horror film!

#4: AI Taking Over The World

This classic 2026 fear of AI taking over our jobs and daily lives  was mentioned by senior Jordan Henderson. The video in the link above mentions various dystopian movies about the battle between us and AI.

Now, guys and ghouls, here’s our truly scary clickbait, let’s see what’s on our podium.

#3: Reality TV Emergency

Junior Jodi Lanka recently encountered a wave of false rumors about her favorite reality TV show that there was a plane crash nearby, a contestant had an emergency, episodes were being suspended, the host was retiring, and even the cancellation of the show itself!

#2: Guy Hit By Car

While scrolling the internet, senior Callista McKeon encountered a realistic AI-generated video of a horrifying car accident.

And now for the scariest clickbait on the internet…

#1: Cat In The Hat Threats

Sophomore CJ Bowker encountered a video of a realistic version of Dr. Seuss’s beloved “Cat In The Hat” that caused real concern in schools due to threats towards students, even causing brief closures. It’s not AI, but multiple creepy creators took part in this spooky Cat In The Hat  school threat trend.

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Rumors have caused panic since long before the internet. A radio broadcast called “ War Of The Worlds” caused mass public panic on Halloween night back in 1938 when people were convinced aliens were coming to the Earth, causing a war between their world and ours. 

You can listen to this terrifying broadcast here: Bing Videos 

"The panic that this broadcast caused around the country was one of the most historic events in broadcasting.  This would lead not only the government to come up with better standards for dealing with "hoaxes", but it also showed that broadcasters had a huge responsibility to the audience; not to cause a panic." said John Del Re, professor of communication and director of WNTI. 

However, fear not Cyclones, although scary internet stories spread fast and clickbait is easy to find, it doesn’t mean it’s true, it’s just social media sending you a boo. 

Media literacy is important, Happy Halloween!