
“I am a Satanist myself so I thought it would be fun to use AI to explore what Satanic themed kids fashion might actually look like,” he wrote in his Facebook message to the AP. Reese said he was inspired to create the images following false reports that Target was selling satanic-themed children’s clothes as part of its Pride collection. “They’re Targeting Our Children,” Reese wrote in the post, which is found on AI Art Universe, a Facebook group for showcasing AI-generated art. His Facebook post from May 26 includes the red goat mannequin and other images being widely shared, as well as about a dozen others of children or mannequins dressed in apparel featuring devils, pentagrams and similar imagery.

They were made using a sophisticated image-generating program.ĭan Reese, a software developer in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, confirmed in Facebook messages to The Associated Press on Thursday that he created the images over two days last week using a generative AI program developed by Midjourney, a San Francisco-based independent research lab. “They aren’t even hiding it anymore,” wrote another Facebook user sharing the post along with the hashtags #BoycottTarget and #SaveTheChildren.īut the photos aren’t real. “Selling satanic symbols on children’s apparel?” did you KNOW THIS about them?” wrote a Facebook user who shared the image this week.


Another image shows two other children wearing red sweaters, each featuring a white goat’s head with eyes made to resemble Target’s familiar red and white bullseye logo. The collage includes a blood red, goat-headed mannequin and a young girl wearing a black shirt with a pentagram. THE FACTS: Amid attacks on the beleaguered retail giant over its LGBTQ+ merchandise for Pride month, social media users are circulating a set of synthetic images to claim Target is also selling a new line of children’s clothes featuring satanic imagery. Target also confirmed it has never sold the merchandise. The images were generated with an artificial intelligence text-to-image tool, according to the artist who created them. CLAIM: Photos of a goat-headed store mannequin and a girl wearing a black shirt with a pentagram design show Target is selling a line of satanic-themed children’s clothing.ĪP’S ASSESSMENT: False.
