Hollywood celebrity Tom Hanks has resumed posting photos of lost children’s clothing and footwear on his official Instagram page, a practice that drew significant attention in previous years.

The post is the latest in the photo series that stretches back nearly a decade. Hanks has randomly posted similar images over the years — lone gloves, shoes, pacifiers, and other discarded children’s items — often accompanied by vague or quirky captions.

While some fans interpret the posts as whimsical or poetic reflections on loss and everyday human moments, others find them eerily unsettling.

Critics and online investigators have long speculated about the significance of the photos, suggesting hidden messages or even darker implications, especially in the wake of growing public awareness of Hollywood’s alleged ties to shadowy practices and abuse scandals.

Online forums lit up shortly after the latest post went live, with users on Reddit and X dissecting the image metadata, location clues, and symbolic meaning. One popular account reposted the photo with the caption: “Why is this man still doing this? What message is he trying to send — and to whom?”

On March 7 2020, Hanks posted an image of a pink “kids sock” on a brick fence near Bondi Beach, Sydney. He captioned the photo with the cryptic message “Kids sock, washed ashore. Lost ashore. Bondi Beach, New South Wales. Hanx.”

Despite the online chatter, Hanks has never publicly explained the intent behind the series. In a 2017 interview, he briefly addressed the topic, saying, “I just find things on the street and think they tell a story. That’s all there is to it.”

For many, that explanation hasn’t been enough to quell the unease.

The renewed posting comes amid heightened scrutiny of celebrity social media behavior, with many users increasingly skeptical of Hollywood celebrity’s online personas.

Hanks, once considered the embodiment of all-American decency, has faced his share of reputational challenges in recent years, particularly given accusations leveled at him by young co-stars and his close relationship Steven Spielberg, who has also been accused of crimes against children.