Pulling the fire alarm to get out of class has been replaced by setting actual fires. Students are setting their Chromebooks on fire while participating in a viral TikTok trend. Schools across Connecticut have had to evacuate due to the smoke and fire caused by students inserting conductive objects like graphite pencil leads or paperclips into the USB ports of their Chromebooks.
Once they touch multiple pins and create a short, the laptops start to smoke and can catch on fire. Students make their own how-to videos or set fires just to cause an evacuation. TikTok and YouTube appear to be taking down these videos, but removing dangerous viral videos is always a game of whack-a-mole. Searches reveal that numerous videos are still available and easy to find.
Officials warn that the smoke produced by these stunts is highly toxic. In addition, schools are treating the intentional damage as vandalism, and students will be required to replace the damaged equipment at their own expense or that of their parents. Science teachers could turn this into a teachable moment, explaining why and how this method works.
Previously:
• TikTok trend contributing to shortage of diabetes drug
• TikTokers are dropping heavy objects on their feet for views
• NYPD using drones to combat subway surfing
