A new social media challenge has students causing their school-issued Chromebooks to start smoking and even catch fire, causing schools to evacuate in some cases.
To take part in the challenge, students jam objects like pencils and paper clips into the USB port.
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WATCH HEREInserting objects into the USB port can cause the computer to short circuit or catch fire, fire officials said. That fire produces toxic smoke.
Officials also warn of the volatility of lithium batteries, which could explode and injure other people around.
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SIGN UP Prince George's County Public Schools confirmed it has had up to 10 incidents reported.
“In addition to posing serious safety hazards, these actions can lead to costly repairs and disciplinary consequences,” PGCPS said in a statement. “We have seen a few incidents related to the Chromebook challenge in our district. We are actively monitoring this trend and have informed our community about the risks."
Loudoun County Public Schools reported a significant increase in the number of student-issued devices needing repairs — a sign that some students could be accepting the challenge.
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“Kids can see this as just a joke or harmless prank, but this is something that could lead to a really dangerous situation and just want to keep our kids safe,” said Dan Adams of LCPS.
Because the computers belong to the school system, parents could have to pay for the devices repaired or replaced.
TikTok said the videos are not unique to its platform. It said it has blocked certain search terms such as “Chromebook challenge.”
