Influenced by the online challenge and sometimes peer pressure, students are inserting items like paperclips into the USB ports of laptops, causing them to overheat and in some cases, catch fire.
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Schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire are warning parents about a dangerous TikTok trend where students jam metal objects into school-issued laptops, leading to fire risks, toxic smoke, and significant costs.
Influenced by the online challenge and sometimes peer pressure, students insert items like paperclips into the USB ports of powered-on devices.
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WATCH HERE"Parents need to be very aware of what kids are doing on their computers," Georgetown Superintendent Margo Ferrick said.
Officials warn that the trend can cause circuits to rapidly overheat and fry. The resulting smoke contains toxic chemicals that pose serious health risks, according to Georgetown Fire Chief Matt McKay. McKay said this can trigger "thermal runaway" in lithium-ion batteries – an unstoppable overheating reaction where the battery can expand, gas, and catch fire.
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SIGN UP "These fires can get out of control very quickly and make it very difficult to get out of an enclosed room," McKay said.
More than a dozen incidents were reported in just three days at the Exeter Region Cooperative School District in New Hampshire. One incident has been reported in Georgetown. Superintendents have issued similar warnings in Danvers and Lexington.
"The heat travels throughout the circuit board. The stuff just catches fire. It gets really hot really fast," said Steve McDonald, Georgetown Public Schools Director of Technology.
The damage comes at a steep price. Chromebook repairs can cost parents anywhere from $155 to $418, according to the letter from the Lexington superintendent. Parents will be responsible for the damages in both towns and students could face disciplinary action.
Georgetown schools are now increasing student education on the dangers, partnering with the local fire department, enhancing laptop monitoring procedures, and emphasizing the need for collaboration with families.
"This is not something that the schools can conquer on their own; we need the partnership of parents," Ferrick said.
TikTok has said it is removing some related videos. Officials strongly advise calling 911 immediately if a laptop overheats, smokes, or catches fire due to this activity.
