One of the hottest Tik Tok trends this May has caused property damage, juvenile charges and a series of school evacuations across the country–all as a result of the Chromebook Fire Trend.
The so-called ‘trend’ involves sticking a small, metal object such as a paperclip or pencil lead into the USB port of a school-issued laptop. As a result, the laptop often begins to smoke, catches on fire, or releases a toxic gas in some cases. When the laptop’s battery is heated excessively, it begins to release the toxic gas, causing irreversible damage to the laptop and danger to surrounding students and property.
Entire school evacuations have been reported across the country as a result of students sticking foreign objects into a chromebook they do not own.
Some schools are rightfully holding students accountable for the damages, which hovers around $300 for the laptop alone. After a handful of students have been charged with arson as juveniles, parents have been encouraged to have a conversation with their children about the trend. The trend is most prevalent among middle school students who are often more prone to outside influences such as social media.
However, Tik Tok has taken action against searches on the platform. After searching for the trend, using keywords or phrases similar to it, Tik Tok displays a warning message to the user. It reads, “Your safety matters. Some online challenges can be dangerous, disturbing, or even fabricated. Learn how to recognize harmful challenges so you can protect your health and well-being.”
Furthermore, the social media platform has banned the majority of the trend’s videos as they violate the platform’s video restriction rules.
This is just the latest popular trend among teens. Some other trends that gained traction this year include the Skullbreaker, where two friends kick out the legs of the third friend in a prank, often causing blunt trauma to the head, or the Chroming Challenge, where teens were encouraged to inhale paint fumes in an effort of getting high. These chemicals can cause brain damage and addiction as a result of inhalation.
Online trends are getting more foolish and more dangerous. In April, The Ice Bucket Challenge aimed to garner awareness for mental health, similar to its 2014 predecessor. These trends have dangerously accelerated from a simple ice bucket to causing fires with state or government property.
