Back earlier this month, I wrote about how Hawk Tuah had infiltrated Google Maps listings, and schools were being renamed “Hawk Tuah”, such as Hawk Tuah High School. There were hundreds of them at one point. A lot of those listings have been renamed or new listings that were created have been taken down, I assume by Google. But now we have something more interesting–Hawk Tuah has infiltrated Google’s AI Overviews, as shown above in the screen capture I took after a search for “Hawk Tuah High Schools”. Google’s AI Overview also brings up MaxPreps.com, which, after I took a look, has some teammates and athletes showing “hawk tuah” somewhere in the bio or the name of the individual.
I performed yet another search for “Hawk Tuah High Schools” at Google, and again, the Google AI Overviews shows yet another, different high school, this time saying that “Hawk Tuah is a high school in York County, Pennsylvania.” See the screen shot below:
In my last post about Hawk Tuah Schools, I discussed how the name “Hawk Tuah” unexpectedly started appearing on various school listings across Google Maps. Since then, the story has taken a life of its own, evolving into a viral internet meme. What began as a few peculiar edits on school names has snowballed into widespread attention, with many users deliberately renaming schools to variations of “Hawk Tuah,” including elementary, middle, and high schools.
News agencies have caught wind of the trend, with several picking up the story and reporting on this odd quirk of Google Maps. The meme has raised serious concerns about the platform’s moderation policies, particularly the effectiveness of its map editing review system. With spammy edits frequently being accepted, the issue has highlighted the flaws in how Google is monitoring its map data. As more “Hawk Tuah” schools pop up, people are left wondering whether Google’s review process is too automated, allowing these types of changes to persist unchecked.
While the internet has had a bit of fun with the meme, it poses genuine risks for students, parents, and communities that depend on accurate school information. The viral nature of this story shows how quickly misinformation can spread through seemingly harmless edits—and how important it is for platforms like Google Maps to refine their oversight mechanisms.
Hawk Tuah Girl
In my last post about Hawk Tuah Schools, I discussed how the name “Hawk Tuah” has sparked an unexpected viral trend. Since then, it’s developed into a full-blown internet sensation, with a growing number of schools on Google Maps mysteriously renamed to variations of “Hawk Tuah,” such as “Hawk Tuah High School” or “Hawk Tuah Elementary School.” The viral nature of the meme has attracted widespread media attention, with many news agencies picking up on the story, further amplifying its reach.
A major factor in the meme’s rise was Haliey Welch’s viral video, where she humorously explains the origin of the name. According to Welch, “Hawk Tuah” is a playful mispronunciation or intentional misspelling that pranksters have latched onto, spreading it across Google Maps. Her video brought further attention to the prank, turning what might have been a small, isolated incident into a meme with far-reaching consequences.
As this trend continues, it’s become clear that spammers are exploiting loopholes in Google’s map editing system. Many of these edits are slipping through, highlighting Google’s heavy reliance on automated systems to approve changes. This lack of oversight has allowed “Hawk Tuah” to proliferate on the platform, raising concerns about how Google manages user-generated content, especially when it involves critical information like school names.
Though humorous, this prank points to broader issues within Google’s moderation processes overall. Users have raised questions about whether Google will respond by tightening review systems on Google Maps listings or introducing more manual oversight to prevent future incidents. As the “Hawk Tuah” meme spreads, it serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between community-driven content and the need for accuracy in digital platforms.
But now that Hawk Tuah High Schools has essentially infiltrated Google’s AI Overviews, I don’t know exactly how Google is going to deal with the spam.