US EditionDangerous social media challenge ignites safety concerns in some Canadian classrooms
- A social media trend called the Chromebook challenge involves students short-circuiting school laptops to disrupt classes, documented as of May 2025 in Canadian schools.
- This challenge emerged after reports of similar incidents across the United States, with students inserting items like staples and pencils into charging ports to cause damage and generate social media content.
- Alberta school districts report several incidents, including four confirmed in Edmonton and one in Calgary, with emergency services sometimes involved due to safety hazards like smouldering devices.
- Carol Henke of Calgary Fire Department warned lithium-ion batteries can explode and emit toxic smoke during thermal runaway, highlighting the challenge's dangers as "quite disappointing" to her.
- Schools are responding with safety reminders and active content removal on platforms like TikTok to halt this risky trend, while experts note peer pressure and online validation drive student participation.
7 Articles
7 Articles
What is the TikTok Chromebook challenge?
and I can't believe I have to tell you this — please don't stick metal objects into your laptop until it catches on fire. Yes, this is a real trend on TikTok dubbed the Chromebook challenge.The challenge has led to actual fires and countless warnings from school officials. Here's what you need to know. What is the Chromebook challenge?In short: Kids are jamming objects — things like paperclips or pens — into the ports of their (often school-issu…
Social media Chromebook challenge a serious fire hazard: Ontario Fire Marshal #OntarioLife #OntarioExplore #CanadaLife #CanadaLifestyle #CanadaNewsToday
Ontario fire officials are warning youth and parents about a social media challenge that involves tampering with Chromebook batteries. The “challenge” has led to fire incidents, the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal said on X. “Talk to your teen,” the Fire Marshal said. “This is more than a bad idea—it’s a serious fire hazard.” The trend has spread across the U.S. and students at schools have damaged Chromebooks for views on social media, accor…
Social media Chromebook challenge a serious fire hazard: Ontario Fire Marshal
Ontario fire officials are warning youth and parents about a social media challenge that involves tampering with Chromebook batteries. The “challenge” has led to fire incidents, the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal said on X. “Talk to your teen,” the Fire Marshal said. “This is more than a bad idea—it’s a serious fire hazard.” The trend has spread across the U.S. and students at schools have damaged Chromebooks for views on social media, accor…
Fire Officials Warn Against Laptop Fire Social Media “Challenge”
State Fire Marshal Jon Davine and Massachusetts fire chiefs are urging parents and educators to talk to youngsters about the risk of fire and injury posed by a recent social media “challenge.” The trend, which appears to have started on TikTok, promotes inserting a paper clip, pencil lead, or other conductive object into a laptop computer’s charging port or other port. This can cause a short circuit that increases the device’s temperature or cau…
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