A reckless new viral challenge sweeping across TikTok has escalated into a national safety concern, prompting school evacuations, property damage, and warnings from fire officials and law enforcement. The so-called #ChromebookChallenge has students inserting metal objects like paper clips, springs, or even pencil lead into their school-issued Chromebooks’ charging ports, resulting in electrical short circuits, smoke, and fire.
The dangerous stunt has already caused multiple fire-related incidents in classrooms, most notably at Newington High School in Connecticut, which was evacuated after a student’s device began emitting smoke. “The room at the time of the fire was filling with smoke,” Newington fire marshal DJ Zordon told NBC Connecticut, underscoring the severity of the hazard.
Connecticut has seen a surge in cases, with similar reports from schools in Southington, Cromwell, and Derby. The trend, however, has expanded across state lines, with incidents now reported in California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington.
“This is more than just a trend,” said Zordon. “It causes a lot of disruption. The school has to be evacuated, firefighters respond to the firehouse and subsequently to the scene—it takes resources away from other emergencies.”
On TikTok, the challenge appears under various hashtags like #ChromebookDurabilityTest and #FStudent, often featuring students mocking academic work as they damage their laptops. While TikTok claims it removed 99.7% of dangerous content proactively between October and December last year, critics argue the platform is not doing enough to contain rapidly spreading harmful trends.
In response to the incidents, school districts are issuing warnings, and law enforcement agencies are investigating cases that could potentially lead to criminal charges. For example, police in Providence, Rhode Island, have cautioned that intentionally setting a device on fire could result in serious legal consequences.
Additionally, students participating in the challenge face disciplinary actions from their schools, including suspension or expulsion, depending on the severity of the incident. Districts are also grappling with costly repairs and loss of valuable class time due to evacuations.
With the trend still gaining traction online, educators, parents, and safety officials are urging increased vigilance and stricter enforcement of platform rules to protect students and school communities.
Sources By Agencies
