From Twitter:

【今日は何の日？】本日2月1日に「笑い男事件」発生

『攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX』における出来事。2024年2月1日、何者かがアーネスト・瀬良野社長の電脳をハックし誘拐。莫大な身代金を要求した後、連絡を絶つ。警察が何の手がかりも掴めない中、2日後の2月3日に事件は大きく動き出す。 pic.twitter.com/YIoQUcDfbQ

— ライブドアニュース (@livedoornews) January 31, 2024

Which reads:

What is today? The "Laughing Man Incident" occurred on February 1, 2024. An event in kōkaku kidōtai ("Mobile Armored Riot Police") STAND ALONE COMPLEX. On 2024/2/1, someone hacked the cyberbrain of and then kidnapped Earnest Serano, head of Serano Corporation. After demanding an enormous ransom, they would vanish. While the police had no leads, two days later on February 3rd, the incident really changed gears.

One of the best anime ever made.

Watch on YouTube

You still sometimes hear fans use the phrase "Stand Alone Complex" to refer to a real thing--copycat incidents based on internet rumors of things that never actually happened. Essentially, a mass movement with no actual inciting incident, just that belief that there had been one.

Maybe I should show this to sashagee.